James F. Lorigan Biography
James F. Lorigan arrived in Southern California from the mid west in 1966. He enrolled at Fullerton College in 1968 before joining the U. S. Navy the following year. He returned to Fullerton College in 1973 where he met artist and professor Nixon Borah. Borah introduced him to fine art printmaking and to what would eventually become a career as a Master Printmaker. He graduated from Cal State University Fullerton three times; receiving a B.A. in the spring of 1978, followed by a M.A. in 1993 and eventually graduating with a MFA in drawing, painting and printmaking in 1994.
After leaving the Navy and while attending college James Lorigan began working as a freelance artist whenever the opportunities presented themselves. Significant art related employment included a brief stint as an art restorer of 16th and 17th Dutch art and antiques followed by a position as an apprentice printer at Spectrum press in the city of Orange, California. It was at Spectrum Press that he saw the potential for starting his own printmaking studio. Lorigan has participated in over 90 exhibitions featuring his paintings and prints. He has produced fine art intaglio, relief, lithographic and digital prints in limited editions with artist of merit since 1974. He owned and operated Watermark Printmaking Workshop in Southern California for over 30 years. A part-time art professor since 1978 and a full-time professor since 1999, James has recently retired from teaching. James has held the position of Chair of the Art Department at College Of The Canyons in Santa Clarita, California, where he also taught a variety of classes including: Drawing, Painting, 3D Design and Printmaking. He could also be found teaching art classes part-time at various southern California colleges.
James is currently working out of his home studio on personal art projects that include hand-made one of a kind books.
