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Kris Manning
Kris Manning is a mother, an “artrepreneur” and philanthropist. She is co-owner of Black Tie Music Academy – an eight-location music and art instructional academy and music retailer, co-founder of The Music Battery 501(c)3 program, a professional musician, a multi-media fabrication artist, an illustrator and a children's book author.
Music and art have surrounded Kris since day one. As a young girl, she studied piano, fell in love with drums and percussion, and immersed herself in Golden Age comics for creative inspiration. While earning a percussion performance degree from The University of Connecticut, Kris toured Russia with John Beck and other musicians from the Percussive Arts Society. Concurrently, she studied marimba with world-renowned marimbist, Leigh Howard Stevens.
Following graduation from UConn, Kris transitioned from the performance side of music to the business side. From 1991-2003, she held sales and sales management roles with Meredith Corporation, Clear Channel Communications and CBS Radio. She also held director-level roles with retail and wholesale distribution outfits.
Since relocating to Charleston in 2011 with her husband and two boys, Kris has immersed herself in the Holy City’s creative culture. She is a nationally recognized sculptor, a founding member and past president of the Art Guild of Daniel Island, a co-founder and curator of the Daniel Island Art Gallery, and a Piccolo Spoleto artist and musician since 2013. In 2014, Kris and her Black Tie Music Academy business partner, Braeden Kershner, founded the non-profit drumline, The Music Battery.
Music and art have surrounded Kris since day one. As a young girl, she studied piano, fell in love with drums and percussion, and immersed herself in Golden Age comics for creative inspiration. While earning a percussion performance degree from The University of Connecticut, Kris toured Russia with John Beck and other musicians from the Percussive Arts Society. Concurrently, she studied marimba with world-renowned marimbist, Leigh Howard Stevens.
Following graduation from UConn, Kris transitioned from the performance side of music to the business side. From 1991-2003, she held sales and sales management roles with Meredith Corporation, Clear Channel Communications and CBS Radio. She also held director-level roles with retail and wholesale distribution outfits.
Since relocating to Charleston in 2011 with her husband and two boys, Kris has immersed herself in the Holy City’s creative culture. She is a nationally recognized sculptor, a founding member and past president of the Art Guild of Daniel Island, a co-founder and curator of the Daniel Island Art Gallery, and a Piccolo Spoleto artist and musician since 2013. In 2014, Kris and her Black Tie Music Academy business partner, Braeden Kershner, founded the non-profit drumline, The Music Battery.
This sculpture has a 6 foot wing span
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I like to make dragons
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Art, fabrication and feral creative
From the Creature Shop in Charleston, South Carolina, Kris creates her playful, whimsical and fantastical pieces. Favorite mediums include glass, cloth, paper, ink, paint and found objects.
In 2018, Kris learned some of her signature fabrication techniques from intensive study with Roy Wooley of Syfy's FaceOff , known for work on The Hunger Games, Zombieland and Netherworld. She has studied puppetry with the internationally acclaimed, Old Trout Puppet Workshop. Kris was awarded "Best Social Commentary" for her piece Compassion at the 2017 MOJA Art Festival Juried Art Exhibition. In 2017 she was a presenter/performer for TEDx Charleston where she wrote the script, developed animation, composed music, fabricated puppets, costumes and sets and created “Mind Your Monkeys."
Her works reside in private collections and the permanent collection of the City of North Charleston and Mount Pleasant, SC.
Artist statement
Press
Blog
In 2018, Kris learned some of her signature fabrication techniques from intensive study with Roy Wooley of Syfy's FaceOff , known for work on The Hunger Games, Zombieland and Netherworld. She has studied puppetry with the internationally acclaimed, Old Trout Puppet Workshop. Kris was awarded "Best Social Commentary" for her piece Compassion at the 2017 MOJA Art Festival Juried Art Exhibition. In 2017 she was a presenter/performer for TEDx Charleston where she wrote the script, developed animation, composed music, fabricated puppets, costumes and sets and created “Mind Your Monkeys."
Her works reside in private collections and the permanent collection of the City of North Charleston and Mount Pleasant, SC.
Artist statement
Press
Blog