Congratulations to Sandra Manzi for earning her place as a Finalist in the Boynes Emerging Artist Award 7th Edition!

Sandra Manzi is also a previous finalist of our 6th Edition and has been interviewed before. Click here to view her previous interview.

Who are you?

I am a Canadian Artist, currently living in Hamilton, Ontario, which is about a 45min drive from Toronto. I was born and raised in Toronto and moved to Hamilton just over a year ago with my partner. Moving here has given me the studio space I needed and the time to focus on my love of painting. I started drawing at a young age and studied art in school. After graduating university I worked  in a commercial gallery in Toronto for three years then in 1993 I started working at the Art Gallery of Ontario, which is the biggest public art gallery in Canada - I've been there now for thirty two years. Here I was exposed to so much of my favorite art from early Renaissance to Contemporary artists. This has really shaped my practice and  art journey.

How would you describe your work?

My work is born out of a desire to synthesize, and hence create a dialogue between, the contemporary digital image with the methods and techniques of the traditional painted image. By exploring this intersection between digital media and painting, I'm attempting to break free from the expected depiction of subject matter - such as portraiture, florals, the female figure, and landscapes; that we often see from the cannon of art history. My paintings often allude to the esthetics of digital collage in the way that the images look like they are layered transparencies over each other. I layer a dense collection of images which have been reconfigured through digital technology. They often include the female figure, flora, synthetic materials such as aluminum foil, and parts from our urban environment.

Can you discuss the inspiration and thought process behind "Praeter Naturam"?

The title of this painting says a lot about the inspiration and thought process behind it. The title refers to the Latin phrase "Praeter Naturam" - meaning "beyond nature". Medieval Latin scholars rendered the term as praeternaturalis, and that form inspired the modern English version. It can be used to describe things that are in some way mysterious, unnatural, or supernatural. When I was starting to layer images for this painting those words were developing in my head. The idea that we are all made up of the same stuff as the rest of nature and will at some point be incorporated back into the universe drove my desire to layer images from past and present, urban and natural spaces. These thoughts made me feel as if this piece was influenced by the natural world but went beyond nature into something I couldn't quite grasp - becoming mysterious.

Can you walk us through the technical steps of creating "Praeter Naturam"?

This painting started with how most of my paintings start - with a main portrait image. This one was from a photograph I took of a family member, my niece actually. Then I start playing with other images to layer on top of this one through photoshop. Florals, particularly ones that are from photographs of plants in urban settings, have been of interest to me lately so I used one of these images. At this point I'm searching for possibilities, both visually and metaphorically, that can come from the play of layering disparate images. And I pounce on that moment when something starts to happen purely by accident. once I'm happy with the image I print it out and use this as a reference for the painting.

What do you hope to communicate to an audience with your work?

My work is born out of a desire to create beautiful paintings that are the product of the blending of our digital age with things that are still handmade. How one has affected the other is of particular interest to me. Also, although I layer disparate images, I believe that everything is connected in some way. Therefore my layered paintings suggest the interconnectedness of everything.

Can you discuss your biggest failure since beginning your art career, and how you overcame it?

My biggest failure was to have taken a break from art which lasted way too long. A major life change stopped me  from painting for about ten years. These were ten years where I could have been creating some amazing work. I will never know. I overcame this through sheer determination that it was now or never. No one was going to force me to start painting again so I needed to just find the will to shake the cobwebs off the brushes and get to it. 

Can you tell something you wish you had known before or when you began your career that would have really helped?

Something I wish I had known before that would have really helped me was that other artists are going through the same things I am. With the advent of media culture, podcasts, Instagram, etc., it's easier now to hear artist's talk about their own worries, successes and failures. And they are so similar to my own.

As a finalist, do you have any advice for artists who want to submit to awards, competitions, residencies, etc.?

My advice would be of course first off is just do it. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain. Also, there are so many awards out there now that it can be daunting. The key is to not apply to them all, only a selection of them will be worth your while. Research the ones where artists that you admire have been finalists or winners. These might be the ones to submit to. 

Lastly, I like to ask everyone what advice they would give to their fellow artists/photographers, what is your advice?

My advice is that as hard as it can be sometime, confidence in what you are doing is the only way to keep progressing. If you lack confidence in your work and start straying and trying this and that it's a sure way to get lost and frustrated. Experimentation is great but don't do it for lack of confidence in what you are currently doing. 

To view more of Sandra Manzi’s work

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