About Jim

Jim Hurst grew up in the small town of Merced, California through the '60s and '70s. After a stint in the Army he returned to Merced and attended Merced J.C. for 2 yrs as a Fine Arts major concentrating on pen & ink sequential art

Another 2 yrs followed studying fine arts at Cal. State Stanislaus Turlock in the late '70s. He joined the Navy in 1982 where he learned to service and repair F-14 jet fighters at VF-211 and SH-60 helicopter avionic and electrical systems at HSL-41 squadrons, and served on aircraft carriers USS Ranger and USS Kitty Hawk. Throughout his service he continued his sequential art projects.

Returning home to Merced, California and then later to Turlock, California in 1990, Jim caught the Bob Ross bug and picked up the brush.

He began to teach wet-on-wet oil painting and performed numerous outdoor painting demonstrations at the weekly Turlock Downtown Street Art Festival.

Up for adventure, he packed his bags in 1993 and headed east toward his wife Jane's neck of the woods North Carolina where he continued to paint and study oil painting technique.

He experimented with Grisalle, the underpainting method used by the old masters before turning to writing.

After writing two novels, he experimented with Machinima moviemaking using computer generated graphics before deciding to return to his painting...

...and wanting to try something different, he began experimenting with acrylic aerosol spray art...

In the summer of 2016 he discovered Paint Parties were a thing. Jim with his wife Jane founded Hursto Presto Studios and began studying the paint party industry. Late 2018 Jim started painting using traditional brush acrylic methods and began designing art specifically for paint parties.

After over 30 years in the copier service/repair industry, I retired in May 2021 to care for my wife after she was diagnosed with brain cancer. After a 2 year battle, cancer had taken her from us Sept., 24, 2022.

Rest in peace, my love. Rest in peace.

She was my wingman, my paint party little helper. Without her, I'm just not into paint parties anymore, and a stroke disabled my left arm last year. I can not paint anymore.

I was in despair, but an encouraging email from my daughter in the Philippines brought me back to life and gave me a purpose. I am going to the Philippines to meet her and heal.

Follow my Philippine Adventure Guiuan Beyond at my Home Page. Hope to CYA there!

Take care,

Jim Hurst

Betty Jane Hurst

Jan. 29, 1965 - Sept. 24, 2022

Surviving Family:

Husband Jim Hurst

Son James Hurst

Daughter Megan Hurst