James Harley is a working artist and designer. In 1990 he received a B.A. in History with Honors from the University of South Carolina. James later earned his Masters and Doctorate in Theatre History and Criticism from the University of Texas at Austin, where he received the prestigious Texas Excellence in Teaching Award for 1999.

After co-founding the Angry Fairy Art Supply in Myrtle Beach, SC, James Harley returned to Columbia in 2001 to transform his lifelong interest in sculpture and recycled art into a livelihood.

Harley's unique metal masks and signature mirrors are finding enthusiastic collectors across the country, and his found-metal statuary has received “Best of Show” and First Place honors in recent juried professional showings. In addition, his sculpture and other work has been publicly displayed at such prominent sites as the SC State House, and is commercially available at more than a dozen locations throughout the region.

	James with Five Women Wearing the Same Dress

James is also active in the Columbia theatre community, reviewing plays for The State newspaper, guest-lecturing on theatre at the University of South Carolina, and recently starring onstage as Ichabod Crane in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Tripp Davenport in Alan Ball’s Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.

	James Harley spiking in the Footbag Net World Championships.

In addition to his artistic and academic pursuits, James Harley is a world class professional athlete, finishing with a career-best third place in men's doubles net at this year’s World Championships of Foot Volleyball (Footbag Net) in Prague, Czech Republic. Harley plans to compete in the 2004 World Championships in Montreal.