Jim was born in the village of Ucluelet East located on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, on October 22, 1956 to Sullivan Sr. and Faith Louie. Jim credits his late uncle Benett Touchie for inspiring and teaching him how to carve. He has been carving since 1984. Jim is from the Ucluelet First Nation Tribe which is one of the fourteen Nuu-chah-nulth Tribes of the West Coast of Vancouver Island. He grew up and attended school in the village of Ucluelet, and is also a logger, but now spends the majority of his time carving.