Home Collection Shop About Galleries Contact

Your Cart

Thank you for your order! We will be in touch shortly.

The Artist

Sarah Manzano

Sarah and her sketchbook(s) have lived side-by-side her entire life. Her sketchbook serves as a journal, a space for observations, a favorite toy, and a constant companion. This love of drawing has perpetuated a constant need to create.

After completing her degrees in Graphic Design from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, Sarah began her career as an Illustrator at an educational publishing company. As a young mother and children's illustrator, she was immersed in the imaginative world of the young child.

Sarah Manzano in her studio

A Lifelong Journey

From Illustrator to Fine Artist

Early Years in Illustration

Her whimsical creatures and delightful narratives appeared in the books she illustrated, the children's beds she constructed, and the canvases she painted. This foundation in storytelling through visual art continues to inform her contemporary work.

Finding Home in the Mountains

When Sarah and her family moved to South Lake Tahoe, she finally found her "home" living in the mountains. The dramatic landscapes, ancient forests, and ever-changing light of the Sierra Nevada became her greatest muse.

Experimentation with Materials

During the process of gutting and remodeling their home in Tahoe, Sarah began to experiment with new materials. She customized her space with copper pendant lights, concrete countertops embedded with stones she crushed from her backyard, a piano bookshelf incorporating raw wood and antique wooden pulleys, and a hand-etched glass whiteboard for her endless lists.

A Dynamic Fusion

This experience has created a dynamic fusion of her illustrative style with wood, hand-etched glass, paint, repurposed objects, and metals. Each piece carries the narrative quality of her illustration background while pushing into new sculptural territory.

Full Immersion in Art

Since becoming an empty nester, Sarah has fully immersed herself in her art, earning recognitions such as the Award of Distinction (2023) in Gallery 4%'s Anything & Everything Juried Art Contest and Special Recognition (2024) in Light Space & Time's Figurative Art Exhibition.

Inspirations

The Many Facets of Sarah

Mountain Enthusiast

Skiing, trail running (including the occasional 50k race 'for fun'), and mountain biking through the Sierra Nevada.

Musician

Playing piano and finding rhythm and harmony that translates into the composition of her visual art.

Avid Student

Constantly learning, observing, and documenting the world through her ever-present sketchbook.

Nature Investigator

Exploring the interconnected balance of nature, both its physical beauty and metaphorical symbiosis.

Recognition

Awards & Exhibitions

2024

Special Recognition

Light Space & Time Figurative Art Exhibition

International online exhibition

2024

Featured Exhibitor

Reno Tahoe International Art Show

Reno-Sparks Convention Center, Reno NV

2023

Award of Distinction

Gallery 4% Anything & Everything Juried Art Contest

International online competition

2023

Featured Exhibitor

Winchester Art Exhibit

Winchester Cultural Center

2022

Featured Exhibitor

Winchester Art Exhibit

Winchester Cultural Center