Nicolas Roes: Form, Place, and the Poetry of Space

Raised on his family’s farm in Lowville, New York, in the foothills of the Adirondacks, Nicholas Roes grew up surrounded by barns, sheds, and working landscapes—structures shaped by function, not ornament. “Form follows use,” might have been his unspoken mantra; the shapes of the farm, the angles of rooflines, the rhythm of fields, all quietly informed how he would see the world. That early exposure to utilitarian design continues to inform his work today.

Nicolas Roes creates contemporary paintings that explore the intersection of nature and human-made structures. His work is both graphic and composed, yet never static—geometry and color guide the eye across each canvas, generating movement without chaos.

Buildings, Homes, and Architectural Shape

Architecture is central to his practice. Homes, barns, and coastal structures appear as simplified forms defined by strong lines and planes. Roofs become angles, walls flatten into geometric shapes, and windows act as compositional anchors. But Roes isn’t documenting specific places; he’s exploring how buildings organize space. Cropped perspectives, clean edges, and carefully chosen color introduce rhythm and motion, allowing each composition to feel active while remaining restrained and deliberate.

“It’s still early in my career as an artist, so I’m painting across multiple categories,” Roes says. “I don’t want to get into any sort of narrow path too early.”

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Vehicles, Boats, and Designed Objects

Beyond buildings, Roes turns his eye to vehicles and boats. Cars, trucks, and vessels are reduced to essential shapes, their recognizable silhouettes serving as compositional elements rather than narrative subjects. Angled forms, cropped frames, and implied direction suggest movement and purpose, even when the objects themselves are still.

Expanding into Abstraction

Alongside representational work, Roes explores abstraction with the same visual vocabulary—hard edges, layered color fields, and controlled compositions. Rhythm, repetition, and color shifts keep the viewer moving across the canvas, reinforcing a sense of intention and visual momentum.

Practice, Influence, and Approach

Roes’ upbringing in the Mennonite tradition and his early experience on a farm contribute to a disciplined approach and a clarity of focus. Influenced by color field painters and 20th-century American modernists, his work blends traditional foundations with contemporary sensibilities. Each painting feels deliberate, balancing form, color, and forward motion.

He currently works in marketing and content professionally, describing painting as a long-term path: “Art-making is a lifelong commitment for me. I’m fortunate for the opportunities that have emerged through my work and for the collectors, gallerists, and designers who support and grow with me. I approach my career with a long-term perspective and excitement for what lies ahead.”

His practice is deliberately broad and exploratory, spanning abstract and representational landscapes, a refusal to be boxed in too early.

Commissions and Custom Work

Roes is available for commissioned work, including site-specific paintings for private homes and commercial spaces, and has been hired to create custom pieces for residences that thoughtfully respond to their environment. He welcomes collaborative opportunities that align with his practice and enjoys creating work that complements both residential and commercial settings.

Roes is represented by Kennedy Gallery and Custom Framing (Portsmouth, NH) and International Art Acquisitions(Rochester, NY). Commission inquiries can be arranged through either gallery or via your interior designer. For more information, visit his professional website at nicholasroes.com

Implied Connections to Home and Place

While not always stated directly, Roes’ attention to light, history, and architecture in projects like the Wheatland Schoolhouse echoes in his painting practice. There is a consistent sensibility—a sense of place, structure, and time that permeates both his built and painted worlds.

About the Artist

Nicolas Roes creates contemporary paintings that explore the intersection of nature and human-made structures. His work, blending rural landscapes, coastal themes, and abstract minimalism, brings texture and movement to the spaces it inhabits. Commission inquiries through galleries or interior designers are welcome. nicholasroes.com‍

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