By Timothy Rysdyke

In 2014, Amanda Manitach was carving out a unique space for herself in Seattle’s creative community. Fresh off her first solo show at Bryan Ohno Gallery and writing regularly for City Arts Magazine, Manitach  was becoming known for her distinct blend of visual art and writing.

Over the past decade, Amanda’s practice has evolved in exciting ways. “I’ve arrived at a place where writing and art have merged,” she reflects. “Back then, those practices were separate. Now my artwork has come to be literally all about words. There’s so much possibility in text. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what happens when a picture is a word?” This fascination with language has become the hallmark of her recent and most notable work.

Hillebrity | Amanda Manitach

In 2023, Amanda participated in two residencies that pushed her creative boundaries. At Amazon, she experimented with AI to generate poetry for her intricate wallpaper-like drawings. At Recology’s Artist in Residence Program, she immersed herself in the world of waste. “Being surrounded by 300 tons of material pumping through a place every day changes you. It makes you very alive, very awake to the vastness and realness of the material world,” she says. These experiences shaped a new series of installations using discarded materials, reflecting her evolving exploration of art, language, and environmentalism. Now, as co-manager of the Recology AIR program, she guides other artists in their creative process using found material while promoting environmental responsibility.

Beyond her artistic evolution, Amanda’s personal life has also flourished. In 2023, she married Jayson Kochan, a musician she first met on Capitol Hill in 2012. “We were good friends for a decade, but it wasn’t until 2019 that the stars aligned,” she shares. Their relationship, which began with a fateful reunion at Cal Anderson Park, has since grown into a lasting partnership.

Wondering where you can experience Amanda’s talent these days? Look no further. She is currently represented by Winston Wächter Gallery, where her works continue to challenge viewers with their wit and dark humor.

Amanda also continues to write about the arts, now for PublicDisplay.Art. In her recent essay Materialist Manifesto, she explores the intersection of art, healing, and environmentalism.

Next Saturday, you can attend the closing reception of Gleanings, Recology’s exhibition featuring work by its 2024 artists-in-residence, Margie Livingston and Kalina Winska. Held at Mutuus Studio in Georgetown, the event will take place from 1-5 PM with an artist talk at 2 PM.

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