Aimee Manion

I grew up playing in creeks and wandering through the woods surrounding my home in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. Nature has always been my teacher and my inspiration. Having the freedom to explore the natural world at a young age really grounded me and formed the basis of my identity–fueling my curiosity and creativity.

I earned degrees in Fine Art, Biology and Anthropology–finding inspiration in learning about organic evolution, symbiosis and homeostasis, and trying to visualize the origins of life. I’ve always been interested in transitions and transformations–life is always growing, interacting, processing, and adapting. This constant flux of life is what I’m exploring in my art–the endless shifting and exchanging of energies; the ebbs and flows that govern us all.

I am an intuitive painter working primarily in water-based media and drawing materials. My process begins with a spontaneous expression and flows from there, usually without a plan.  A lot of my work explores the fluidity of internal and external landscapes and our relationships to them. I want to make art that celebrates the rhythms and harmonies of nature and embraces transformation. The only constant thing in life is change, and our current world is changing faster than ever. I’m curious how we find peace in an increasingly overstimulating and manmade world. As an artist, I’d like my work to help guide our changing world towards greater harmony and balance.

My style is both spontaneous and deliberate, delicate and intense, minimal and maximal. It is playful, expressive, joyous, and dynamic. I’m inspired by current research exploring the human microbiota, sustainable agriculture, climate change, and forest ecology. I’m also inspired by my yoga practice, which helps me find stillness in a world that never stops shifting.

Photo by Ray Codero