James Somerville is a graduate from Edinburgh College of Art. His early career was spent in art education at various Scottish Art establishments eventually becoming National Development Officer for Art and Design in the Scottish Department of Education.

James Somerville became a full-time artist in 1990. Since then he has participated regularly the RSA and RSW annual exhibitions and has had several solo art shows in the UK. His paintings have also shown at Art Fairs in London, Barcelona and New York.

James Somerville produces contemporary paintings in a variety of subject matter including Still-Life, Landscape and various aspects of the built and man-made environment. He travels extensively throughout Scotland, Spain, Italy and more recently in British Columbia. All of these locations provide a source of inspiration for his art works.

James Somerville paintings are in numerous public and private art collections including the Scottish Arts Council, Edinburgh Hospitals Collection, Pitlochry Festival (Harry Cruden) Collection, Fife Regional Council .

Commenting on James Somerville works Martin Lenon, Scotsman/Edinburgh Evening News said: 'The youthful and vibrant brushwork of septuagenarian James Somerville is simply stunning. His paintings show a confidence of experience and an innocent abandon simultaneously. The sheer intensity of the colours is breathtaking.'