James Bama was born in New York City in 1926. He entered the Army Air Corps and worked as a mechanic, mural painter, and physical training instructor. He then went on to study at the Art Students League training under illustrator Rank J. Reilly. After twenty years of illustrating in New York City, Bama dropped everything and moved to Wapiti, Wyoming in 1968 to approach art in a totally new way. Bama's subject matter consists of Indians, cowboys, camp cooks, and mountain men and his depictions are meticulously detailed; he prefers to be classified as a realistic painter rather than a western one. The Midwestern landscape and culture inspire and challenge Bama, who stated, "Here, an artist can trace the beginnings of Western history, see the first buildings put up, the oldest wagons, saddles, and guns, and be up close to the remnants of Indian culture...and you can stand surrounded by nature's wonders."