James Drake Iams

Because James Drake Iams was an avid sailor in Chesapeake Bay waters for many years, boats, the Bay and its tributaries, and the watermen and the waterfowl that inhabit the area often appear in his paintings. Among his favorite subjects to paint are workboats associated with the Chesapeake Bay such as skipjacks and ‘drake tail’ and landscapes of Maryland scenes and of his travels.

In addition to illustrated articles in national art magazines and regional quarterlies, his published work consists of a number of prints of his paintings and two books: Bayside Impressions and Painting The Eastern Shore. His work can also be seen in the publication Bound For Blue Water, written by Russell Jinishian. His watercolors are represented in The Bendann Galleries in Baltimore, Maryland and the Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport.

A resident of Lutherville, Maryland, Iams is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and holds graduate degrees from Pennsylvania State University and the Maryland Institute College of Art. He is a life member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society, and a signature member of the American Watercolor Society and The American Society of Marine Artists.