James first got involved in construction when he was just six years old. His family’s house burned down and his dad, a contractor, decided to rebuild as a family. He handed James a spackle knife and told him to "get the low spots". Through the years by his side, James had a hand in building patios, replacing roofs, remodeling bathrooms, kitchens, and even building an addition.
Over the past twenty years in NYC, James has designed and constructed residential
and commercial interiors, working on his own as well as with contractors.
For the past fifteen years James has restored his own 1884 brownstone, which has been integral in his learning the skills he had yet to master. “I've become a great electrician; learned more than I've ever cared to about plumbing and cement work; and I can now tile in my sleep. (I've also gone from despising to enjoying installing crown molding). With the size of my mortgage, I've learned to do many of these things with little or no money.”
Using sewing machines is second nature to James, as his mother taught him to use one when he was only three years old. (Apparently child labor laws do not apply to family.) James builds and upholsters furniture. He has designed and built sets and created costumes for Dennis Deal’s Lost Christmas, Basic Theater Company, AquarianStar Productions, and All Out Arts, as well creating costumes for special events such as Wigstock and the famed Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. His costumes have been seen in Entertainment Weekly, Us Weekly, The Daily News, The Village Voice, Next Magazine, and Homo X-tra. They have also been featured on Broadway.com, Fox News and on Souls of New York on PBS.
When not working for television, James works on fashion and still life photoshoots as a Set Builder, Prop Stylist, and in (or, more than not, as) the Art Department, for companies such as Brooks Brothers, Victoria’s Secret, Lands End, Jeans West and Luxotica.
James’ work can be seen on HGTV’s Dear Genevieve, where he acted as Design Assistant and on-air seamster/upholsterer for twenty-five episodes. His sewing skills can also be seen on episodes of HGTV’s Battle on the Block, Carter Can and Summer Showdown. His design and hosting skills are showcased on DIY Network’s Door Knockers.