James died last night in the hospital in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where
he had been moved in recent days. He had gradually been getting a
little better, and was awake yesterday and able to see visiting
friends. Unfortunately, his heart wasn’t strong enough to deal with
the stress from complications brought on by his illness. He was a
good pal and a great goldsmith. He will be very sorely missed. There
may be a memorial in New Mexico, I will keep you posted.
As a young goldsmith making a living at retail shows Mr. Barker was
always an inspiration to me. He did what he loved to do and offered
it to the world. I’m sure it was’nt always easy. He took the time to
share his and his passion with me as i walked the metalic
labyrinths. it is one more reason to wake up in the morning and do
what you feel is your lifes calling.