Meet Tiffany Manning, a Jacksonville-based artist working out of Cork Studios! She has made a significant impact on Jacksonville’s art scene with her vibrant acrylic paintings. In this Q&A, we introduce Tiffany and explore how her experiences in Jacksonville have shaped her artistic journey and the unique perspective she brings to her work.
FAC: Where are you from and how does that affect your work?
Tiffany: I find joy in the unknown, in that mysterious space where each artwork is born. The discovery phase—the slow, intentional process of realizing what wants to come to life—is where I thrive.
FAC: How has being a resident of Jacksonville influenced your work?
Tiffany: Jacksonville is where both my practice and I were born. My journey has been one of relentless exploration, driven by a deep desire to understand what truly makes my soul come alive. We all operate from a framework, and mine is rooted in the belief that growth and evolution are essential to my work and life. The river influences my natural tendencies toward flow.
FAC: Did you always want to be an artist? Have you always used this medium?
Tiffany:I have always made paintings in my mind and imagined myself as the creator of something wonderful, though those imaginings were typically dashed when I sat down to bring an idea to life. I experienced many attempts (trying and failing) to execute the artistic visions within my mind, but growing up, I didn't have a lot of guidance to develop a model for success, so I expected my first attempt to be the right one. In life though, that's seldom the case. But as Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." That bright spot of sunshine waiting to be discovered.
FAC: Describe your creative process.
Tiffany: I am an intuitive painter, so I never approach the canvas with a plan. Instead, I choose to allow anything that wants to come up the space it needs to expand. It is a co-creative process. It is a dance. My body reacts to the marks made and in tandem, responds until a creative dialogue emerges.
FAC: Tell us about the first artwork you remember creating?
Tiffany:As a child, I was drawn to beauty. In my early years, I would sketch out fashion ads that were in the Sunday paper. It was the mechanism I used to cope with my fear.
FAC: What experience has been most important in developing the direction of your work?
Tiffany: It is my eagerness to KNOW THYSELF. Each new painting offers me an opportunity to understand myself better. When creating outside the parameters of control, the only thing left is to learn to trust, which was not an innate lesson imparted in my childhood. It is through painting and my movement practice that I am free.
FAC: Has the direction or style of your work changed since that experience?
Tiffany: My work is a continuum. The evolution never quits. I’m not satisfied with revisiting what I’ve already explored, as repetition feels stagnant, and my practice thrives on energetic flow. Embracing risk and trusting the process have become integral to my creative journey. The studio is where I uncover new depths and push my boundaries.
FAC: What is one piece of advice you would offer to inspiring artists?
Tiffany: Dedicate yourself to learning your craft, but allow for the freedom to F it up too. The studio is not the place to live within the limitations you know. It's a place for expansion.
FAC: What's the best advice you've received?
Tiffany: Find solace in the quiet spaces, for that is the place where your magic is born.
FAC: Do you have any upcoming projects you want to share/promote?
Tiffany: Cork Open Studios! November 23rd and 24th!
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