Since his death in 1977, James Castle has gained worldwide recognition as a prominent self-taught artist. This documentary is a revealing journey into the artist’s life and creative process, as told by family members, art historians, curators, artists, collectors, and members of the deaf community.

James Castle was born deaf in 1899 in central Idaho. He refused to learn to read, write, sign, or finger-spell, but was obsessed from an early age with making art. The Castle residence was a rustic social centre, serving not only as a family home, but also as the community's post office and general store. This homestead helped to form the visual vocabulary that Castle would employ in his work throughout his life. His imagination was stimulated by the tactile allure of packaging, twine, rope, paper, envelopes, cardboard, heavy cloth, and leather. With a mixture of stove soot and his own saliva on tips of sharpened sticks, Castle recorded his immediate surroundings in drawings with perfect perspective and almost scientific attention to detail. He was supported by his family in his zeal to produce, which resulted in works stacked and bundled by the thousands – drawings, books, and constructions that thoroughly captured his singular view of the world.

James Castle: Portrait of an Artist is a sensitive and inspiring documentary which tells a story of monumental achievement against the odds.