Featured Artist Paula Manning-Lewis

Artist Paula Manning-Lewis creates paintings that draw inspiration from wilderness areas and their ancient stories. Visit her website to see more of her portfolio.

 

 

For over 30 years, I’ve explored different mediums and styles, but at my core, I’ve always been a painter and a lover of nature. I live on the edge of the Gila Wilderness in Southwest New Mexico, where the landscape constantly fuels my creativity. Now, I’ve come full circle—back to the landscapes that first sparked my passion for art.

 

 

I grew up in New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment. Despite trying to leave more than once, this place kept calling me back. Now, I know I’m here to stay. Nowhere else stirs my soul quite like this.

 

 

The trees and towering rock formations feel like ancient storytellers, silent witnesses to the passage of time. As I wander the wilderness, I can’t help but wonder—how long has this tree stood? What stories do these cliffs hold? Trees give us oxygen, shelter, and a quiet kind of magic, while the rock formations shift in color and shadow as the sun moves across the sky.

 

 

I’m endlessly drawn to the rugged beauty of the Southwest. There’s something humbling about standing on a mountain ridge, looking out over miles of untouched land. In those moments, I feel the presence of those who walked here long before us. When I find myself deep in the wilderness, where no footprints mark the earth, it’s as if I’ve stepped into an ancient, forgotten world.

 

 

The wild speaks to me in ways I can’t fully explain. It feels like I’ve known these places in another life, as if the wind carries whispers of something both familiar and ancient. Through my paintings, I invite you into this world—a place where nature speaks, the soul listens, and the stresses of everyday life disappear.

 

 

I use water-soluble oil paints to bring my trees and landscapes to life on canvas. My style is always evolving as I push myself to grow as an artist. Right now, I’m exploring a looser, more impressionistic approach—one that highlights individual brushstrokes and the way light plays across the landscape. There’s something so freeing about letting the paint flow, allowing the scene to emerge with movement and energy.

 

 

When I’m not painting, you’ll find me outside under the open sky with my husband of 29 years—hiking, camping, and soaking in the untamed beauty of the Gila Wilderness. We’ve explored so much of the Southwest together, and in September 2023 we fulfilled a lifelong dream to backpack the Grand Canyon.

 

 

Nature is my sanctuary, my greatest inspiration. My art is a love letter to the wild—the place where my soul feels most at home.

 

Paula Manning-Lewis invites you to follow on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

 

 

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