Abstract painting allows Anya to express what can’t be captured in words—a sense of energy, emotion, and inner dialogue that unfolds through color, layers, and shapes. Formally trained as a graphic artist, she was craving a creative practice that wasn’t driven by outcomes, but by exploration and feeling. That journey led her to painting, where the process itself became a way to connect more deeply with herself and with others. Her background in design still informs how she approaches composition and balance, but in the studio, she allows her intuition to guide her. Each piece is a conversation—an invitation to pause, reflect, and discover something unexpected.

McManis has been painting and exhibiting her work for over 15 years. She is currently represented by Gallery Andrea in Scottsdale, Arizona. Her work has been shown in numerous exhibitions, including at the Artwork Network Gallery and Niza Knoll Gallery in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe. She presented a series of seven solo exhibitions at the University of Denver between 2011 and 2019, and has participated in group exhibitions at venues including the Aurora Municipal Center (Aurora, CO), Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts (Palmer Lake, CO), R Gallery (Boulder, CO), the Water for Life International Art Exhibition at the Niagara Falls History Museum (Canada), and the Florence Biennale in Florence, Italy. Her work is also held in private collections.