James Mannix

The New Deco

James Mannix’s first foray into the art world was receiving a summer scholarship for high school students at the University of Potsdam’s program in the Adirondacks. Upon graduation, Potsdam being way too far north, Mannix went to SUATC Farmingdale. This small college didn’t offer the excitement he expected in his ambition for advertising art. Bored with the future of drawing ads for matchbook covers, he tried out for a scholarship to the School of Visual Art in New York City. Mannix lost that prize but was accepted for their Film Studies, majoring in production and title design. The workforce beckoned with low run positions in television commercials from ‘gopher’ to set construction and eventually some design. As paths are interwoven, he eventually wound up in visual merchandising for a major retailer, Macy’s. Those were fun creative years for him. Within a few years, promoted from store to store, Mannix eventually managed a Jewel Box store. There they had great resources and a matching budget to experiment on concepts for the rest of the chain. Leaving the grind to move on for some freedom, he freelanced with Creative Force, an independent visual merchandiser. It was exciting, traveling along the east coast, city to city, doing installations and remerchandising. Eventually, Mannix moved to private industry working alongside Bob Samuels, a decorator from the Midwest, who oversaw an estate in Amagansett, New York. The owners were always remodeling and for them, Mannix created artworks, murals and faux finishes. It was an entertaining time for him. It brought him to work with Robert Isabell, a noted party designer, on four extravaganzas. Mannix spent his free time doing sound production for theater readings, designing programs and filming /editing short films alongside Gaby Rodgers. He later studied watercolor at SUNY Southampton. Doing many workshops at the Art Barge, Napeague brought the artist to come under the tutelage of Norman Seaver, famed east end watercolorist. Since retirement, Mannix has been experimenting in many formats, going back and forth from early works to something new. He is still searching for that special something, always enjoying the journey.