James Drake Iams

One of our area’s most prominent and award-winning watercolorists, James Drake Iams has been painting the Chesapeake Bay since the mid 1950’s, and he has recorded his observations with the knowledge of the sailor and the eye of the painter. His paintings are regional in subject, but have universal appeal. James is known for his depictions of the Baltimore harbor long before it was revitalized – the city’s dry docks, tugs, and shipping vessels often appear in his paintings. James also captures the migration of geese and ducks in flight or resting in our waterways, giving the observer an extraordinary view of the Chesapeake flyway.

A graduate of Indiana State University in Pennsylvania, Mr. Iams holds graduate degrees from Pennsylvania University and the Maryland Institute of Art.