Brett Manning

Artist Statement

I am a Chicago based freelance artist/illustrator so I’d love to draw a pretty picture for you! I am also interested in participating in more gallery shows, be it with a group or just solo.

I love to draw and I draw what I love. My work reflects my personality and the things that are most meaningful and sentimental to me. Man-made vs. Nature and the connection of all living things are common themes I enjoy illustrating. Combining that with my passion for texture, balance, pattern, fashion, and femininity, my work can become quite surreal and dream-like. Charming juxtapositions and fantastical, sometimes made up symbolism and allusions dwell within most of my art, but telling a story though my work is not a high priority, rather I find it more interesting when the viewer creates their own meaning. It is also not my intention to create an exact likeness, rather, while drawing a portrait, I try to capture their essence, what I believe to be his or her most pure, and enlightened, even awkward form. Drawing is very meditative for me, and when I am creating, I feel calm and at one with my surroundings, specifically with the art work, thus it becomes part of me, almost like a view into my brain at any specific moment, and strangely autobiographical…

Ink and colored pencil have become my medium of choice, but I also work with graphite, oils, and watercolors when the mood strikes.

… It’s pretty simple…. But very complex…. And completely absurd.

I also love coffee, chocolate, cats, and 1960’s tunes.

Brett Manning’s Website

Brett Manning on Flickr