James Weeks is an initiated Ifa priest who has studied Yoruba culture and philosophy for more than 10 years. He is speaks Yoruba fluently and is currently working on a book on African shamanism.

A veteran photojournalist and writer with more than 19 years of experience, Weeks is recipient of The Art of Living Black 2004, Jan-Hart-Schuyers Artistic Achievement Award for excellence in photography. His photographs are sought by both private and corporate collectors and were featured at the 2005 Art of Living Black Exhibition, held at the Richmond Art Center in Richmond, California.

Renown German-born photographer, Fritz Henle, hailed as "the last of the great classical photographers" by the late photo-historian Helmut Gernsheim, praised Week's work as being "strong, sincere and straightforward," when he met the artist on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands in 1989. Henle added that Weeks "has an eye for good composition."

And Melvin Claxton, a Pulitzer Prize-winning, senior investigative reporter for Gannett News Service, says: "Weeks has the rare ability to capture the human condition. The relationship between mother and child, the playful rivalry of young sisters or wistful look of the aged matriarch is reflected in his work with compelling power. The consummate artist, Weeks uses each frame to tell stories that defy words, yet communicate messages so profound the impact lingers long after the viewing."

Stories about Weeks' photography have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Richmond Globe, the Virgin Islands Daily News and Connection, a newsletter published by the Richmond Art Center. His writings have appeared in Parenting, the Virgin Islands Daily News, the S.F. Weekly and other publications.

A native of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Weeks is also a private pilot and a certified scuba diver. He currently lives in Oakland, California with his wife, Stephanie, and his three children, Malcolm, Diallo and Tulani.