In James Gortner’s paintings, his personal conflicts, moods, and dreams combine with other people’s stories and magical myths of the past and present to create new myths. Gortner incorporates reclaimed wood and sustainable materials, as well as paints on layers of reclaimed artist’s paintings into his paintings, adding physical texture and tension to enhance the narrative, or abstract the storytelling at play. Gortner’s singular identity as an artist is rooted in his hybrid of spiritual practices, artistic influences, and his unlimited technical freedom as a painter. His points of reference range from large-scale History Painting and Contemporary Abstraction, to experiential painting and conceptual art. Gortner received his B.A. from Hawaii Pacific University and his MFA from Columbia University. Gortner’s work has been exhibited across the United States and in Germany. His artwork is included in the collection of the Eileen S. Kaminsky Family Foundation and the Wooster Collective as well as the private collection of President Jiang Zemin of China and actress Reese Witherspoon, among others.