James Brown was an American painter born in Los Angeles, California in 1951. He was known for his abstract expressionist style and his use of bold colors and thick brushstrokes. Brown studied at the Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles and later at the University of California, Berkeley. In the 1970s, Brown gained recognition for his large-scale paintings that often featured geometric shapes and vibrant colors. He was influenced by the work of artists such as Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock, and his paintings were often described as a fusion of abstract expressionism and pop art.

Throughout his career, Brown exhibited his work in galleries and museums around the world, including the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. He was also the recipient of numerous awards and grants, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1984.

Brown continued to paint until his death in 2020 at the age of 68. His work remains highly regarded for its boldness, energy, and innovation, and he is considered one of the most important American painters of the late 20th century.