Artist Bio
Born in Geneva, Switzerland of Romanian political refugees, Sanda Manuila experienced expatriation and isolation at an early age. Her personal history of separation and traumatic family experiences have shaped her vision of discrepancies and differences and gave her the perspective of an outsider. That is why she feels so strongly connected to her artwork. She tells the story of her life, and the world around her, and the need to narrate has become visceral.
As a young adult, she left her native country and moved to Northern California where she is currently living. Over the years Manuila has learned how to become a citizen of the world, a status she gained by studying art over many years in different locations. She studied at L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux, France, Atelier Bessil in Montpellier France, and at the Cornish Institute of the Arts, in Seattle, WA. More recently she traveled to Italy to attend the Angel Academy in Florence and the Rome Artworks Studio in Rome, Italy. Additionally, she participated in artist residencies at Dacia Gallery in NYC and in Sibiu, Romania.
Sanda Manuila creates oil and mixed media pastel and gouache paintings, which are stylized representational images that exude an allegorical quality. Her visual stories depict a state of mind in which the boundaries between dream and reality have become very fluid. Her purpose is to make art that depicts the challenging path of life in these disturbing times, warns about the danger of climate change, and depicts the fear of loss and the struggle for survival. Even when we abuse her, Mother Nature remains beautiful.