Lithograph by Jim Annis "Captain John C. Bradley" The Medusa Challenger Barge on the Chicago River.

Jim was born in Detroit and grew up in Chicago, but he returned to Charlevoix, MI every summer before relocating there permanently in 1959.

In World War II Jim was in the U.S. Navy stationed in the Solomon Islands where he repaired the hulls of landing craft and PT boats. Upon his discharge from service in 1945 Jim returned to Chicago and worked in the building industry as a cabinetmaker specializing in office and kitchen design. He continued to pursue this occupation after moving to Charlevoix.

Jim began his artistic career as a painter 33 years ago in 1970 after experimenting with woodcarving and painting during the 1960's. His first painting was of the Charlevoix Depot. He has evolved through many genres including trolleys and trains, vintage automobiles, game fish and birds, ships, Chicago movie theaters, and baseball stadiums.

The signature characteristics of his works are vibrant colors, exquisite detail, and historical correctness of every image. He is known primarily as a nostalgia artist. Jim estimates that over the years he has completed 130-150 works of art. During his career, Jim has completed two different series of paintings of which he is particularly fond. One series includes five Chicago theaters painted during their heydays of the 1940s: the Grenada, Marbro, Chicago, Uptown, and Paradise. His baseball stadium series includes Wrigley Field, Old Comisky Park, Briggs (Tiger) Stadium, Crosley Field, and most recently in 2002, Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

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