The following information is submitted February 2005 by Jean Guy, the artist's daughter.

James Eccles retired from the Continental Bank of Chicago in 1945. He found that his life-long hobby had become a full time "occupation" enriching his retirement years.

His art interest provided an opportunity to travel to far-away places gathering sketching material for his classes and exhibition pictures. He painted extensively in Brown County, Indiana, the West Indies, Venezuela, British & Dutch Guiana's and the Orient.

A native of Chicago, Illinois, James Eccles studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, The Art Institute and Smith School of Art, all in Chicago, and with instructors Walter Clute, Frederick Fursman, Albert Krehbiel, Allen St. John, R. DeForest Shook, Antonin Steraba and Louis Wilson.

He was a member of the American Artists Professional League, The Austin-Oak Park-River Forest Art League, Brown County Gallery Assn., Hoosier Salon, Palette & Chisel Academy and West Suburban Artist Guild.

He was represented in exhibits in Illinois, Indiana, Washington DC, and with various groups with which he was affiliated.

He was born in Chicago in 1885 and died in Oak Park, Illinois in 1983