James and his wife Frances live in Bedford, VA, where they raised three daughters and now have four grandchildren. He paints in his cozy home studio where he has a view of the beautiful Peaks of Otter mountains.

James Lewyn Underwood (born 1937) grew up on a farm in Floyd County, Virginia. Life was very rough compared to today's standards. From childhood James had a love for drawing but had no oppurtunity to develop his talent. In his late forties, after raising his daughters, he took an art class with a local artist, Mrs. Edith Smith. She taught him the basics and encouraged him to get out there and show his work. And that's just what he did. In the beginning he worked in oils, pastels, and watercolors, but now he primarily does pastels.

James retired in 1993 from a manufacturing company where he was an estimator/draftsman for 30 years. Now he is a full-time artist and his years of drafting are reflected in his realistic style of painting.

James has received many awards through the years including 17 "Best in Show" and 33 "First Place." His work has been accepted at many juried shows including the Pastel Society of America 30th Annual Pastel Exhibition in New York and the North Florida Pastel Society Show.