In my practice, I like to work in series. I find an idea, explore it from many vantage points, and only move on after exhausting the possibilities. The subject matter can vary, and the execution can veer from realism to a more abstract interpretation of an idea.

One of my main subjects is water. Water is mysterious and ethereal, yet it has an edge. Swim in it and you are weightless, floating free of gravity. Be pulled under by a current, and you are done for. It is never truly knowable.

Many of my works use figurative boats to activate abstract patterns in water. I find the narrow line between the recognition of an image and its dissolution into pure elements of form and color visually exciting. It is fun to play with an image that is first seen as an abstraction and then, upon further observation, is decoded as a recognizable object, i.e. a corner of a boat, a logo from a sail, or a wave of water.

I am also interested in the transitory effects of light and movement on water and the interaction of color, with an emphasis on the subtle shifts that occur when colors sit next to each other.

My practice involves a variety of media including painting, printmaking, paper making, drawing, sculpture and video.

Lynn Manos
2026