About Jim

I've had a life that's taken some unexpected turns.

It started with the Army Reserves, then college where I earned a degree in elementary education. From there I spent time in Pakistan as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching English, then came home and taught in the Beaverton School District. I put myself through college a second time by working as a skydiving instructor. Which is exactly as fun as it sounds. I ultimately spent over twenty years as a firefighter and paramedic with Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue.

And now I'm a magician.

Looking back at all of it, the common thread was never the job. It was the people. I have always been drawn to experiences that put me right next to someone else. That's what has mattered most to me my whole life. Magic turned out to be a natural fit for exactly that reason.

Why I do this

I came to magic in my mid-forties, sparked by watching Penn & Teller with my son Noah. What hooked me wasn't the showmanship, it was the craft. The mechanics, the psychology, the way a well-constructed trick leads a person's attention and then pulls the rug out at exactly the right instant. I was fascinated.

I still am.

But what keeps me performing is the person standing in front of me. The stunned look right before they start laughing. The genuine connection that happens when something impossible occurs in someone's own hands. That's the experience I'm trying to create for each individual person in the room.

What that means for your event

I perform both close-up magic and stand-up shows, which means I can work the room table to table during a cocktail hour or take the floor in front of a full company gathering. I'm a member and past President of the Society of American Magicians, Portland Chapter, and I regularly attend professional conferences in the US and abroad to keep my material fresh and my skills sharp.

I take this seriously because the person standing in front of me deserves my best every single time.

If you're planning an event in the Portland area and want to talk through what that could look like, I'd love to hear from you. No pressure, no sales pitch. Just a conversation.

Reach out anytime.