Jim first began drawing cartoons for the kids around him at a very young age. He spent a number of his childhood years in a Shriner's Hospital in his home state of Minnesota undergoing surgeries and treatment because of complications due to a breach birth.

Spending months at a time in body casts from his heels to his neck, Jim could only read, write and draw to pass the time away. His doctors and nurses noticed his ability to reach the children in the wards around him with his drawings and his cartoons. Soon his artwork was on display all over the hospital, especially his safety cartoons and characters.

When Jim was able to attend his regular grade school the same would happen there. His teachers duplicated his artwork and displayed them on classroom walls. One teacher even submitted a short story that Jim wrote and illustrated. It was published in a book that took the best stories from students around the city and compiled them in a publication to distribute to school libraries. Jim remembers the day the teacher closed the shades in the classroom, shut off the lights and read his story to the class by candlelight. It was a scary story for kids. Every class in the school heard Jim's scary story that day by candlelight.

Jim continued to do very well with his stories and cartoons right into high school. Due to class studies and school activities and working he didn't do very much progressive work. Mostly creating what his classroom friends, teachers, and some outside customers requested from him. He did learn how to provide people with custom work and designs.

Eventually, Jim took his years of creative development and found a direction to showcase his talents and still do something positive with his creations for a social contribution. He created cartoon characters that entertain and educate children about their safety. His characters are featured in newspapers, magazines, coloring books & calendars all the time.

Numerous child safety advocates and agencies in Rhode Island, where Jim resides now, and around New England adopted Jim’s characters. Local, state and federal child safety advocates utilize Jim's characters and related products for school distributions and safety events all year long. This is beginning to take place across the country with many child safety groups and organizations wanting to effectively reach children about their safety and injury prevention. The child safety characters and products and publications are very popular with police, fire & rescue workers as well as nurses and doctors seeking creative ways to encourage family safety in their own communities, cities and states in the USA.

Jim appears at car shows and cruise nites every week during the cruisin' season displaying his hand painted murals and passing out products and publications to children and their families to help send the messages about safety. Race tracks, safety events, car seat clinics, and many other venues will find Jim and his characters hoping to make a difference in the lives of children and their families. His award-winning illustrations and graphics are definitely attention getters. He has many awards and honors for his dedication in regards to child safety.

The future for Jim's characters will put them in national parades and safety events as giant balloons and many, many products and publications will feature his creative characters for children all across the board. Toys, games, clothing lines, and balloons, just to name a few.

Watch for Jim's characters in the months to come in retail outlets and online stores, available to all wanting to keep a child safe. Child safety is everyone's business.

"Don't Become Extinct... Buckleupallofus!"