James began his study of art along with psychology at the University of Missouri, Columbia, and then resumed his education at the Oklahoma City Community College where he began to explore a new direction by taking ceramics and computer graphics. He found the firing style of 'raku' to be the most desirable and focused his work and experimentation in this area. In 1998, he left a corporate position to make pottery full time.

His work currently focuses on the basic shapes of spheres and cubes and reintroducing these forms in their pure simplicity. The surface treatments are often clean in their application while adding a visual excitement via the lines and shapes that make up the negative space, a result of the smoking process of raku. Larger works take on an architectural feel with their straight edges and elongated proportions and are often considered to have an Asian influence in form, color, and glazing style.