James Scoppettone

James Scoppettone’s vibrant and intricate paintings draw deep inspiration from the works of artists such as Maurice de Vlaminck, Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, and Chaim Soutine. While his landscapes are grounded in Impressionism, they are imbued with a bold, dramatic use of color that sets his work apart. Scoppettone’s subjects range from lush meadows and tranquil waterscapes to bustling street scenes and serene autumn landscapes, each infused with his unique artistic vision.

Born in San Jose, California in 1937, Scoppettone’s early years spent picking fruit in the Santa Clara Valley orchards left a lasting impression on his later artistic themes. At the age of 17, he painted his first piece—capturing a meadow in Scotts Valley, a place where both redwood and giant sequoia trees grow. He later settled on a 24-acre property in the Santa Cruz Mountains, once the retreat of filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. The stunning natural beauty of the area remains a constant source of inspiration for his work.

Scoppettone is renowned for his exploration of light and color. Influenced by 19th-century French and American painters, he has built a career around vibrant brushwork and the subtle interplay of light, infusing his canvases with energy, joy, and poetry.

Over the course of his successful career, Scoppettone’s paintings have been acquired by a diverse range of collectors, from corporations and celebrities to passionate art enthusiasts. Though he earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a law degree from San Jose State, his true calling has always been art. He and his wife, Sherry, raised five children on their estate, which continues to serve as a rich source of inspiration for his ongoing creative journey.