Jim
April 26, 2021
by Abdul Premji
April 26th,
2021
I’ve known Jim since 1981 when I worked for him for a short time at Levi’s. In the intervening 40 years I met up with him on several occasions (too few in hindsight) and he introduced me to the magic and beauty of street art. During one of those occasions he presented me with his SprayCan Art book and I was hooked. I was amazed at what he had achieved by recording the street art around the world and bringing it to people like myself who were completely unfamiliar with this art form. My most vivid recollection of Jim occurred in the past year during the middle of the Covid pandemic when Jim offered to take me around Oakland and view and record the BLM street art after the murder of George Floyd. I was amazed that a 93 year old man, driving himself was able to conduct a tour of the Oakland street with such eloquence, knowledge, energy and passion. I was exhausted by the time we ended up at my place for lunch but Jim, like the energizer bunny kept on going and continued to regale us with stories of his world travel, adventures of recording the street art and his immense joy in being alive and engaging with people of all ages. Jim was particularly affectionate towards my wife Massey and she was touched by his attention and his magnanimity. Subsequent to the June 2020 tour of the Oakland Jim offered to show us the street art in Sacramento and I along with a friend, Bill Demarest descended on him in Sacramento and he indulged us with the art scene in Sacramento. He was particularly fond of the Johnny Cash mural on a side of a building in downtown Sacramento and pointed out the intricate details of the mural. Whether it was a premonition on my part or not Bill and I visited Jim on March 10th of this year and he once again took us to see the art we had missed during our previous visit. Alas that was the last time I saw Jim and he was as usual his gregarious, generous and gracious self and we parted with the knowledge that we were privileged to have known him and engaged with him. I will miss you Paz and wherever you are in the celestial heavens I know you are regaling the universe with your stories and the people you left behind.
Rest In Peace my friend, Rest In Peace.
Abdul
I’ve known Jim since 1981 when I worked for him for a short time at Levi’s. In the intervening 40 years I met up with him on several occasions (too few in hindsight) and he introduced me to the magic and beauty of street art. During one of those occasions he presented me with his SprayCan Art book and I was hooked. I was amazed at what he had achieved by recording the street art around the world and bringing it to people like myself who were completely unfamiliar with this art form. My most vivid recollection of Jim occurred in the past year during the middle of the Covid pandemic when Jim offered to take me around Oakland and view and record the BLM street art after the murder of George Floyd. I was amazed that a 93 year old man, driving himself was able to conduct a tour of the Oakland street with such eloquence, knowledge, energy and passion. I was exhausted by the time we ended up at my place for lunch but Jim, like the energizer bunny kept on going and continued to regale us with stories of his world travel, adventures of recording the street art and his immense joy in being alive and engaging with people of all ages. Jim was particularly affectionate towards my wife Massey and she was touched by his attention and his magnanimity. Subsequent to the June 2020 tour of the Oakland Jim offered to show us the street art in Sacramento and I along with a friend, Bill Demarest descended on him in Sacramento and he indulged us with the art scene in Sacramento. He was particularly fond of the Johnny Cash mural on a side of a building in downtown Sacramento and pointed out the intricate details of the mural. Whether it was a premonition on my part or not Bill and I visited Jim on March 10th of this year and he once again took us to see the art we had missed during our previous visit. Alas that was the last time I saw Jim and he was as usual his gregarious, generous and gracious self and we parted with the knowledge that we were privileged to have known him and engaged with him. I will miss you Paz and wherever you are in the celestial heavens I know you are regaling the universe with your stories and the people you left behind.
Rest In Peace my friend, Rest In Peace.
Abdul