Over 600 of James Frey’s large-scale abstract paintings are on display throughout the world. Painting with both oils and acrylics, the colorful and complex pieces are textural interpretations of his favorite places and experiences.
James began his artistic career as a photographer. His father built a darkroom in the basement of their farmhouse when he was twelve, and James learned how to develop film and make prints next to canned beans and old cans of house paint. By fifteen, he was hired by the local newspaper and began working full-time as a photojournalist. At seventeen, he was winning awards for his photographic work and paid his way through college with photography jobs.
By the time he was done with university, he was ready to move on from photography, but still needed something creative. Since his career in photojournalism was all about depicting reality in two-dimensional black and white, when James started painting he wanted to get as far away from that as possible. He started with a bigger canvas. He wanted bold color. He wanted to convey emotion and feeling, not realism.
The Process
James views the start of each painting as a visit to the unknown. There is a sense of where he wants to begin, but rarely a sense of where it’s going to end. He never paints on location, he never uses a picture, and he never sketches his ideas. When he starts a canvas, he simply starts with the first brush stroke and lets the painting evolve from there.
James admits that he switches styles unexpectedly. One week he’s painting large abstract landscapes, the next week it’s color field with enormous amounts of texture. Most would find the variety of work that emerges from his studio uncommon, but if James isn’t pushing himself to do something new, painting stops being as exciting as he likes.
He has never taken a class on painting. He doesn’t even have books on how to draw or paint.
ART + WINE
Winemaking is both an art and a science, and for James, who has always struggled with committing to just one creative endeavor, it allows him to further explore his creativity outside the canvas.
James was ultimately a painter first, and his winemaking is heavily influenced by his approach to his artwork. Just as he lets his own emotions and experiences dynamically guide the brush in his paintings, he takes every step to ensure the terroir and character of the Willamette Valley guide each bottle of Trisaetum.
Winemaking has also directly inspired his painting, with abstract landscapes reflecting the ever-changing moods and seasons of the valley, and more emotive works revealing the expressions of what he encounters as a winemaker.
There is no better place to enjoy this interplay between art and wine than Trisaetum’s own James Frey gallery tasting room, where their creative intertwinement is always on display.
“This is a unique winery and art gallery showcasing the exceptional talents of owner James Frey. Trisaetum is a must-see.”
– Paul Gregutt for Wine Enthusiast
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James Frey Collection
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