I’m James “Jami” Talon, a queer game developer, artist, and creative tinkerer with lots of hobbies and interests.

My blog is a bit reflective of how scattered those interests are, including posts of recipes, reuse DIY, and philosophy / musings / thoughts. I love deep conversations and meaningful exchanges, so please share your thoughts in the comments!

These days I’m mainly focused on digital art and I take commissions! I have print experience and can help you with designing most anything. I can work with your budget, feel free to check my Digital Art Commissions page for the general price sheet if it’s helpful, though.

As far as traditional media goes, I am primarily a mixed media artist, and I get many of my materials from local creative reuse centers and thrift stores. I’ve done a ton of pet portraits Commissions which you can find out more about on the page.

My career has been art-related most of my life. I was Art Director and Producer for the social game Furcadia for about a decade, and studied art for a few years in college (though I got a degree in Linguistics). I’ve taught art lessons to both kids and adults as a part time instructor on my own, as well as for Cordovan Art School and Painting with a Twist.

Lately I’ve been partnering with Nicole to make music as well, and we’ve produced a bunch of songs this past year on our shared soundcloud. She has my undying gratitude for teaching me how to make electronic music!

I love to create, and so I try to stay open and flexible to my creative journey as a whole. I hope you’ll enjoy what you find on my site as I explore all the nooks and crannies of self expression. Thanks for browsing! 🙂

Artist Statement

“Nature and the complex systems of animals and plants has fascinated me ever since I was little. It’s crazy how something normally seen as trivial, like a resource fight between ants and a bird, will utterly captivate me when I’m out in the forest.

My process starts by being out in the wilderness: majestic woods, mountains, greenbelts. This keeps my passion and inspiration flowing. At home as I gather reused materials, I think about how they might be incorporated to emphasize what’s on my mind. Often a compelling visual idea will strike me as I pick up a certain piece of “trash” – and then I’m off to paint!

While humanity has gotten really good at breaking complex things down into single elements, I want to emulate more of the grandness I see in nature: many small things combining into something new and powerful. What better way to do that than with my own art?

Art Awards

  • Solo show at Fat Cats Cafe (current) – Austin, TX
  • Solo show at New Hope Realty (’21) – Cedar Park, TX
  • Big Medium Studio Tour (’20) – Austin, TX
  • Austin Creative Reuse Art Gallery juried show (’20) – Austin, TX
  • Georgetown Art Center juried show “Art Hop” (’20) – Georgetown, TX
  • Art for the People Gallery juried show “Austin Art + Love = Home” (’20) – Austin, TX
  • R Gallery juried show “Animalia” (’20) – Boulder, CO
  • Art for the People Gallery juried show “Pet & People Portraits” (’20) – Austin, TX
  • R Gallery juried show “Upcycled Creative Reuse” (’20) – Boulder, CO
  • Georgetown Art Center juried show “Critters: Our Animal World” (’20) – Georgetown, TX
  • Art for the People Gallery juried show “Adventure, Fantasy & Fun” (’19) – Austin, TX
  • Anthrocon People’s Choice Art award (‘16) – Pittsburgh, PA
  • Dean’s Honor Roll – College of Visual Art and Design (‘11, ‘12) – Denton, TX
  • UNICEF Art Contest Winner (‘11) – Denton, TX
  • TAEA Flag Design Contest Sole Winner (‘09) – Houston, TX
    • For Youth Art Month – Sole winner for the Texas flag design. Art design was made into a flag and was flown at the capital buildings in Washington DC and Austin.
  • TX State VASE All State Superior Rating (‘08, ‘09, ‘09) – Houston, TX
    • Awarded 3 times in two consecutive years: Top 1,000 entries out of more than 20,000 pieces
  • Houston Rodeo Art Contest Gold Medal (‘08, ‘09) – Houston, TX
    • Awarded 2 times in two consecutive years. Represented entire school district from overall more than 300,000 entries
  • TX State VASE – Gold Seal (‘06) – Houston, TX
    • Awarded to the top 150 entries out of more than 20,000 pieces.