James Ross Neiswonger is an emerging artist from Northern California whose work interrogates themes of identity, memory, and emotional vulnerability. He earned his BFA from California State University, Chico, where he developed a foundation in painting and conceptual art. Currently pursuing his MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), Neiswonger’s practice combines gestural abstraction and fragmented figuration to explore the psychological tensions between connection and isolation.

Rooted in a deep engagement with materiality, his paintings use layered textures, distorted forms, and atmospheric color palettes to create emotionally charged narratives. Neiswonger’s work seeks to confront the boundaries of intimacy and alienation, inviting viewers to navigate spaces of discomfort and reflection.