Shannon Manning: Master Paper Sculptor

There is not going to be anything objective about today's post. 

My subject is Shannon Manning, a Kansas City artist whose work has been inspiring me since about 2004 or 2005, when I first saw it at The Heritage Gallery in Prairie Village, KS.  I was in the early stages of developing my own paper sculptures, and when I first saw his work I was totally blown away.

I had a chance to see Endangered and meet Shannon in person, at the "State of the Arts" show in Prairie Village last October.

I've been seeing his work turn up around town during the past few years, but I'd always missed the opportunity to meet him until last fall at the State of the Arts show in Prairie Village. He is an extremely nice man, in addition to having mad skills in paper sculpture!  Here is a small collection of his work to give you a sample, presented with his permission:

As in this piece, 219 N. Delaware, the detail in Manning's work always astounds me.

I love the visual rhythm of the wings and the exquisite feather effects in Hill and Pond.

Penny Crusher is another example of Manning's mastery of detail.

Manning handles a variety of textures with great skill in Instant Report.

In Ezra's Sunday, Manning juxtaposes mechanical and natural forms--and renders both equally well. His technique makes me deeply envious, but in a good way!

As Sanctuary clearly shows, Manning and I share the super-power of being able to fold rocks! I love the way he handles the snow as an accenting mechanism in this piece.

I deeply appreciate having had the chance to share Manning's art with you.  I hope you have enjoyed looking at a small sample of the work that has been such an inspiration to me over the past decade.

IMAGE CREDITS: Shannon Manning very kindly gave me permission to post images from his website for this article.  PLEASE DO NOT RE-POST WITHOUT MANNING'S PERMISSION! You can view many more of his wonderful works on his online gallery. Individual source pages for the images I chose to post here are: Endangered; 219 N. Delaware; Hill and Pond; Penny Crusher; Instant Report; Ezra's Sunday; and Sanctuary.  

Great Opening for State of the Arts Prairie Village

Man, the Prairie Village Arts Council sure knows how to throw a party!

 

I apologize for the long time it has taken for me to get my act together and get back to blogging--I intended to write this post a month ago.

I was honored this year to be included in the State of the Arts annual juried art exhibition, sponsored by the Arts Council of Prairie Village, at the R.G. Endres Gallery at Prairie Village Municipal Offices, Prairie Village, KS.

The piece accepted to the show was Nine-Part Herbal Harmony.

I owe a big debt of gratitude to my son Ty Gephardt, for delivering the artwork on the specified date, while I was in California on family business, and then making sure it was picked up on the specified date, while I was in Oklahoma on other family business.  Where would we be, without family???

I did make a brief cameo appearance in town--just in time to attend the reception, held October 11 at the R.G. Endres Gallery.

The highlight of the whole evening for me, however, was my chance to meet with a man who has been an inspiration since the very beginning of my foray into paper sculpture.  I think I first saw the artwork of Shannon Manning at the former Heritage Gallery in Prairie Village, in 2004 or 2005, and I've been an admirer ever since.

Manning's wonderful paper sculpture Endangered also was in the 2013 State of the Arts show, and he attended the opening with his wife. He is a delightful person and a wonderful artist. Please visit his online gallery to view images of his paper sculpture artwork!

PHOTO CREDITS: Many thanks to the City of Prairie Village, for the image of the buffet table at the Oct. 11 2013 reception. The images of Nine-Part Herbal Fantasy and the tent at the reception are my own.