Michael Manly

Michael Manly is a visual artist originally from Alabama and has painted and created things as long as he can remember. He thinks about it and dreams about it when a brush is not in his hand. It's more than just canvas and paint; it's a part of of him. He's shown his work in the South since the mid-90's of everyday life infused with vivid colors and movement. With often a musical theme in mind, he pulls his viewer into colorful worlds of rhythm and spirit with paintings that frequently revolve around masked characters and dancing, animated objects. However, regardless of his subject, he wishes to evoke a familiar feeling, a question or an emotion. He works in acrylic and often transitions into multi-media creations by adding a variety of found objects. Inspiration comes when he draws from his daily life and listens to and watches people in their world in normal and sometimes abnormal situations. Lastly, but importantly, music is a huge inspiration.