Jim Hamil—watercolor artist, is known in KC for his Plaza prints and for his many other prints and paintings of the Midwest sold in stores in Ks., Mo., Co., Ok., Ark., NB. He is also known for his books, Farmland USA (written by his father, J. Harold Hamil) and Return to Kansas (written by his wife Sharon) which Senators Dole and Kassebaum have used as gifts to represent our state.

Jim has received many awards for his work, numerous prizes in art shows, has been honored as the Governor's Artist for the state of Kansas and as the American Royal Artist of the Year. He has been feature artist at several art fairs in the area, feature artist for the channel 19 auction; and has membership in the Watercolor USA Honor Society. He received the Johnson County Library Foundation's Pinnacle Award for Excellence in the Arts in September, 2003 and was named Best Local Artist by the readers of the Kansas City Magazine in August 03 and, in November he was featured in the Best Times, a newspaper which is sent to all citizens of Johnson County over sixty.

You can find Jim painting in his studio—the new addition on the back of their home. He paints mainly by commission and for the galleries which carry his work. Jim teaches watercolor workshops across the country. He has been named a "Friend of Education" by Phi Delta Kappa (an education association) because of the teaching he does while doing painting demonstrations for schools, especially in the metro area (although he has done so in Colorado, Texas, and Nebraska.) Students are exposed to his ease with watercolor and gain an appreciation of the wonders which it can create. Jim is an elder at Second Presbyterian Church, a past member of the Board of the Arts and Humanities Association of Johnson County, past board member of the Watercolor USA Honor Society and a volunteer for many charities. Jim has two sons, Alex (35) and Andy (36) who both live in Kansas City.