Through recurring motifs such as astronaut helmets, antique diving gear, and playful vacation symbols, Shanay Manitzky creates characters who navigate ordinary tasks while longing for adventure, quietly mirroring her own aspirations.
Drawing inspiration from personal experience, her artwork is a metaphorical “Dear Diary.” Her recent series examine the relationship between people and objects, blurring the line between the real and the surreal.
Working primarily on raw wood surfaces that incorporate the grain of the wood into the composition of the work, Shanay Manitzky is a figurative artist whose work intentionally blends whimsy with introspection. Grounded in storytelling, she creates minimalist and emotionally rich visual narratives. Her art explores themes of escapism, daydreaming, and the tension between the mundane and the fantastical.
Manitzky holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Whitecliffe College of Fine Arts & Design, Auckland, NZ (2013), and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching from the University of Auckland (2014).
Manitzky has exhibited in galleries across Australia and New Zealand, including Aspire Gallery (Brisbane, AU), Gatakers Art Space (Maryborough, AU), Art Lovers Australia (Melbourne, AU), and Pearce Gallery (Auckland, NZ).
Her work has received recognition in major art prizes, winning the Drawing Section of the Aspects Art Show (Goondiwindi, 2023), and a finalist in the Omnia Art Prize, Melbourne (2025, 2024), and the Bluethumb Art Prize (2023, 2022).
Manitzky has been commissioned by Fraser Coast Regional Council to create permanent public artworks for Maryborough, QLD.
