James Vining originally hails from Brooklyn, New York. He had an interest in film and art since his youth. He studied film production and theory at SUNY Purchase as well as fine arts photography and art therapy and at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he received his B.F.A. in 2005. 

 In 2002, Mr. Vining had his first solo exhibition, entitled “New Mother” at the Zeitgeist Gallery in Cambridge, MA. In the show, the artist explored maternal archetypes both personally as well as in within a broader context of art history and American culture. Mr. Vining’s work has explored a variety of horror-based and spiritual themes through the media of film, photography, poetry and screenplays. Mr. Vining has been investigating representations of disability as well as the relationship between the sublime and the horrific. 

In 2009, Mr. Vining received his MSW from the Hunter College School of Social Work. He currently practices Clinical Social Work and Case Management services to the LGBTQ adolescent population in New York City.