James T Farley

James Farley is an Australian artist and educator based in North Carolina. His work investigates the entanglements of people, place, and environment, and how reciprocal relationships give rise to identity and belonging. Working with photography as both material and method, Farley creates images, books, and installations that invite reflection on coexistence and the shared ecologies we inhabit.

Extending these ideas into education and community, Farley approaches education and community engagement as ecological practice grounded in collaboration and care. He sees learning and community as part of a creative ecosystem—one that thrives on curiosity, connection, and exchange. With over a decade of experience in universities, galleries, and community settings, he has co-founded multiple artist-run initiatives and continues to cultivate spaces where learning, experimentation, and community can flourish.

Education

Ph.D in Photography and Ecological Aesthetics, Charles Sturt University, New South Wales, Australia
B.A. in Visual & Performing Arts (Class 1, Honors), Charles Sturt University, New South Wales, Australia
B.A. in Photography, Charles Sturt University, New South Wales, Australia

Research Interests

Farley’s research explores the intersections of art, ecology, and education, focusing on how creative practice can foster more reciprocal relationships between people and place. His interests include ecological approaches to art-making and pedagogy, socially engaged and community-based art, and photography as a social, relational, and material process. He is particularly drawn to collaborative, site-responsive, and practice-led methodologies that foreground community, connection, and environmental awareness. Farley also investigates artist-run and collective modes of production, experimental publishing, and the role of creative learning as a catalyst for ecological and social change.