ART FROM THE CREATURE SHOP IN CHARLESTON, SC
"Why puppetry? It's easy for fantastical creatures to deliver truths and retoric to the fragile souls that inhabit the world. Nobody wants to hear what my kids' mom has to say." - K. Manning
Kris Manning, Artist
Kris Manning is a fabrication artist living in Charleston, SC. On a magical island in her Creature Shop, she creates her playful, whimsical and fantastical pieces. Favorite mediums include glass, cloth, paper, ink, paint and found objects.
Kris learned some of her signature techniques from intimate workshops with Roy Wooley and R.J. Haddy of Syfy's FaceOff and steampunk designer Thomas Willeford of Brute Force Studios at DragonCon 2015 and has intensively studied puppetry with the internationally acclaimed Old Trout Puppet Workshop.
Kris is a nationally recognized sculptor (The Huffington Post, June 27, 2105), illustrator, one of the founding members and past president of the Art Guild of Daniel Island and the co founder and curator of the Daniel Island Art gallery. She has been a Piccolo Spoleto Artist and Musician since 2013.
Her works reside in private collections and the permanent collection of the City of North Charleston, SC. Kris is currently accepting commissions. Read more about current events on the PRESS page.
Kris Manning is a full-time artist and musician. She occupies her hours making art, gigging as a drummer around Charleston and teaching music and art. You can find out more about Kris's music at www.thatgirldrummer.com. Kris is also co-founder of The Music Battery 501c3 non-profit charity for kids, visit www.themusicbattery.com and co-owner of Black Tie Music Academy, visit www.blacktiemusicacademy.com.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"I bound out of bed everyday like a kid at Christmas because I can't wait to see what artistic adventure the new day will bring. I'm often dipped in paint, disassembling mechanical devices, cutting glass and assembling creatures. I approach my creations like I'm discovering a treasure buried in the warehouse in my mind. My job is to find the art and drag it into the daylight."
ARTISTIC PROCESS
"I get really excited about everything. A find in antique store may send me off in a fabrication frenzy to create a mobile gypsy cart for puppets, a pile of newspapers may entice a crumpling adventure that leads to a dragon mount or a dried up moth may start a steampunk time machine in motion.
My process is drenched in spontaneity and presence. Unexpected art emerges by paying close attention to nature, the human condition and by giving permission to feel all the feels. My intention is that these unusual delights (my art pieces) may nudge and tickle the sense of adventure and guarded hope of the viewer.
The process is simple: be open with little expectation and let intuition be the guide."
Kris learned some of her signature techniques from intimate workshops with Roy Wooley and R.J. Haddy of Syfy's FaceOff and steampunk designer Thomas Willeford of Brute Force Studios at DragonCon 2015 and has intensively studied puppetry with the internationally acclaimed Old Trout Puppet Workshop.
Kris is a nationally recognized sculptor (The Huffington Post, June 27, 2105), illustrator, one of the founding members and past president of the Art Guild of Daniel Island and the co founder and curator of the Daniel Island Art gallery. She has been a Piccolo Spoleto Artist and Musician since 2013.
Her works reside in private collections and the permanent collection of the City of North Charleston, SC. Kris is currently accepting commissions. Read more about current events on the PRESS page.
Kris Manning is a full-time artist and musician. She occupies her hours making art, gigging as a drummer around Charleston and teaching music and art. You can find out more about Kris's music at www.thatgirldrummer.com. Kris is also co-founder of The Music Battery 501c3 non-profit charity for kids, visit www.themusicbattery.com and co-owner of Black Tie Music Academy, visit www.blacktiemusicacademy.com.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"I bound out of bed everyday like a kid at Christmas because I can't wait to see what artistic adventure the new day will bring. I'm often dipped in paint, disassembling mechanical devices, cutting glass and assembling creatures. I approach my creations like I'm discovering a treasure buried in the warehouse in my mind. My job is to find the art and drag it into the daylight."
ARTISTIC PROCESS
"I get really excited about everything. A find in antique store may send me off in a fabrication frenzy to create a mobile gypsy cart for puppets, a pile of newspapers may entice a crumpling adventure that leads to a dragon mount or a dried up moth may start a steampunk time machine in motion.
My process is drenched in spontaneity and presence. Unexpected art emerges by paying close attention to nature, the human condition and by giving permission to feel all the feels. My intention is that these unusual delights (my art pieces) may nudge and tickle the sense of adventure and guarded hope of the viewer.
The process is simple: be open with little expectation and let intuition be the guide."
Paintings
"Compassion" 46"x32" 1 of 7 in the #matters collection
"Freedom" 24"x36" 3 of 7 in the #matters collection
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"Tolerance" 36"x24" 2 of 7 in the #matters collection
"Grace" 36"x48" 4 of 7 in the #matters collection
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Instument Art
Instrument Art Commission
Cellophone Booth for the North Charleston Symphony
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Cello for the North Charleston Pops
Piano transformation at the Family Circle Stadium
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Custom Ukelele paint
Rocktopus
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Sculpture
For Mother Emanuel, "Unity Quilt" Yarn-bombed Tree
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Featured in the Huffington Post, "Our Unified Hearts" Air Sculpture
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Dragon Lord in pogress
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"Me, Myself and I" 4.5'x3.5' paper and cloth mache
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Paper and Cloth Mache Dragon (4 foot wing span)
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Steampunk Fabrications
Steampunk "Airship Captain's Backpack Flying Apparatus." Mixed Media
Dragon eyeball
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Steampunk "Time Machine Locator"
Steampunk "Crystal Pistol"
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2 of 3 Fantasy Suitcases. Steampunk "Creature inside the Suitcase"
Steampunk "Blunderbuss"
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Glass Art
"Peaceful Peacock" on display in the permanent collection of The City of North Charleston. Art Glass
RIGHT ASCENTION sold to a private collector
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OCTOPUS GARDEN
Sold to a Private Collector
Large "koi pond" now showing at Daniel Island Art Gallery
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"Epic Battle" Pheonix vs. Octopus
resides in a Private Collection. Art Glass
"Calm Embrace" for the North Charleston Palmetto Hands Competition 2016
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Paper Art
Book art
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Commission for an attorney's office
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Paper and glass shard art
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"Sometimes You're the Boat"
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Murals
Black Tie Music Academy, Daniel Island, SC
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"3 Little Birds"
Black Tie Music Academy, Daniel Island, SC
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"Before" Honeycomb Cafe, Daniel Island, SC
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"After" Honeycomb Cafe, Daniel Island, SC
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Children's Books
"I Have an Opinion and So Do You" published 2016
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"U!"
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"My Own Little Bit of Sky" published 2015
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"Zachary the Snowpea Thief"
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Cornhole Sets
"Alice" set for Brickyard Kitchen
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"Flying Monokey" set for Holy City Brewing
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Commissioned piece for Holy City Brewing: Corn hole boards (painted with acrylics)
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Props
Burtonesque art for the feature length motion picture "We Love You"
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"Whoville" headpiece
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"There's No Place Like Home" flying monkey luggage
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Puppets
"Leo" unstrung marionette
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Concept design for Octo headpiece
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Foam parade puppet (it's huge)
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