Rest in Peace, James Hak Shin Cha, who passed away at his home in Plattsburgh, New York, on November 22, 2025. He was seventy-two years old, leaving behind his two daughters, Melissa and Jenna, and son Jason.

Born in Busan, Korea, in 1953, James Cha was destined to be an artist. As a nine-year-old, he followed his parents to Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1962, and two years later, to San Francisco, California, where he spent most of his life, attending school and producing art in silk screen print, photography, digital painting, book art, video, and film. He collaborated with artists, one of whom was his sister, Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, a well-known conceptual artist and writer, on several projects.

His happiest time came when his children were born. He took a twelve-year hiatus in Silicon Valley during the dot-com era. He eventually returned to his passion for art. He owned and operated an art gallery in North Beach, San Francisco, featuring and photo- documenting local artists. He was working on paintings, collage, and a screenplay right up to the day of his passing.

He leaves behind his loving children and their spouses, Robin Jones (Melissa's husband), Lonnie Nadler (Jenna's husband), plus Julian Cha-Jones, his grandson. His family of siblings include John Cha, Elizabeth Cha Park, Bernadette Cha Silveus, and their children. A devout Buddhist, he leaves behind his friends and artists of North Beach and Caffe Trieste.

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