Mara Manning
Painter
Mara Manning is a painter based in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Gypsum, Colorado. Since retiring from teaching in 2017, she has devoted herself to exploring abstraction through oil and cold wax painting. Known for her masterful use of color, composition, and texture, Mara’s work has earned recognition in numerous juried exhibitions throughout the Midwest and Colorado over the past decade. Her paintings are represented by galleries in Colorado, Michigan, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
A 1984 graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee’s Painting and Drawing program and a 1998 graduate of Lesley University with a degree in Arts and Education, Mara brings both technical skill and conceptual depth to her practice. Her process integrates stencils, printmaking techniques, and the layered application of cold wax and oil paint to create richly textured surfaces. Through the gradual buildup and partial obscuring of patterns, she invites viewers to discover subtle traces and hidden messages within each piece.
When not in her studio overlooking Lake Michigan or the sagebrush landscapes of Colorado’s Western Slope, Mara enjoys mountain biking with friends and exploring new trails with her cardigan corgi, Pippa.
Mara Manning is a painter based in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Gypsum, Colorado. Since retiring from teaching in 2017, she has devoted herself to exploring abstraction through oil and cold wax painting. Known for her masterful use of color, composition, and texture, Mara’s work has earned recognition in numerous juried exhibitions throughout the Midwest and Colorado over the past decade. Her paintings are represented by galleries in Colorado, Michigan, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
A 1984 graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee’s Painting and Drawing program and a 1998 graduate of Lesley University with a degree in Arts and Education, Mara brings both technical skill and conceptual depth to her practice. Her process integrates stencils, printmaking techniques, and the layered application of cold wax and oil paint to create richly textured surfaces. Through the gradual buildup and partial obscuring of patterns, she invites viewers to discover subtle traces and hidden messages within each piece.
When not in her studio overlooking Lake Michigan or the sagebrush landscapes of Colorado’s Western Slope, Mara enjoys mountain biking with friends and exploring new trails with her cardigan corgi, Pippa.