Habitually Chic Artist: James Nares

I think I mentioned once before that my study of art history has left me with a pretty good photographic memory. I think it was all that memorizing for compare and contrast exams. So this is probably the reason that I kept noticing very similar artwork in the homes profiled in quite a few magazine spreads. Turns out the man behind these beautiful paintings is James Nares, a New York based London-born artist who uses calligraphy brushes that he makes himself to create very unique and original art using only one continuous brushstroke. You can see him in action in the photo below.

Each stroke has a life of its own. Nares says: “It’s a fine balance between design and the thing making itself happen. The stroke has to have complete precision to work. Sometimes I lose it on the exit. You can’t fudge it. It ruins the whole thing.” The resulting figures are almost always contained within the rectangle. “It’s less of a window if I keep it within the confines of the canvas, but there’s almost always a drip that’s an umbilical cord.”

I love the fact that no two will ever be the same no matter how similar they look. And I think you will agree that they look pretty fabulous in the homes below.

John Barrett's apartment from July/August 2007 ELLE Decor

Todd Romano's Apartment from September 2005 ELLE Decor

Josie Natori's Apartment from October 2007 ELLE Decor

Photo by Simon Upton from march 2007 House & Garden