Doris Maninger
artist and educator
Home and work in Italy and Austria
contact: dorismaninger@me.com

BORN IN 1958 IN AUSTRIA, I STUDIED PAINTING AT THE AKADEMIE DER BILDENDEN KUENSTE IN VIENNA AND SUBSEQUENTLY RESTORATION IN ROME, SPECIALIZING IN GUILDING AND FRESCO. IN 1982 I MOVED DEFINITELY TO ITALY, FIRST TO THE SOUTH – CALABRIA FOR 16 YEARS AND THEN TUSCANY, FLORENCE IN 1998. THEN IN 2013 I STARTED TO WORK WITH AZZA FAHMY TO SET UP A SCHOOL OF JEWELLERY IN CAIRO AND JUST RECENTLY A CALL BACK TO THE MOTHER COUNTRY STIRIA IN THE SOUTH EAST OF AUSTRIA.

I HAVE WORKED THROUGHOUT MY LIFE WITH A GREAT VARIETY OF MEDIUMS, IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, AND TO MANY DIFFERENT RESULTS, LINKED TOGETHER BY MY URGE TO MAKE USING MY HANDS.

I FIND MY FULLFILLMENT IN THE MOMENT HANDS AND MIND WORK TOGETHER, ALMOST AUTOMATICALLY, GIVING FORM.

A FORM, AN OBJECT, A MATERIAL CATCH MY ATTENTION AND A PROCESS OF ELABORATION AND TRANSFORMATION BEGINS.

IN 1998 I FOUNDED ALCHIMIA JEWELLERY SCHOOL TOGETHER WITH LUCIA MASSEI IN FLORENCE AND THE SCHOOL HAS REACHED GOALS I WOULD HAVE NEVER DREAMED OF. AND AS IT HAPPENS WITH ANSWERED PRAYERS CHANGE BECOMES NECESSARY AND SO I LEFT ALCHIMIA IN 2017 TO START A NEW CHAPTER OF LIFE AS ARTIST AND EDUCATOR IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD.

SINCE 2016 EGYPT HAS BECOME ANOTHER HOME. TOGETHER WITH AZZA FAHMY I HELPED CREATE A SCHOOL IN CAIRO, A PLACE WHERE YOUNG DESIGNERS LEARN NOT ONLY TO DESIGN BUT ALSO TO MAKE WITH THEIR HANDS. FROM THERE MY WORK EXPANDED TO ASWAN AND INTO THE WIDER REGION, CONNECTING DESIGN WITH CRAFT AND EDUCATION. IT IS ABOUT SHARING KNOWLEDGE, BUILDING NETWORKS, AND GIVING VALUE TO SKILLS THAT ARE TOO OFTEN OVERLOOKED BUT ESSENTIAL FOR THE FUTURE.

DRAWING IS MY PASSION – AND TEXTILE MY LOVE.

JEWELLERY WAS AT FIRST AN “INFATUATION” WITH THE MEDIUM METAL, FROM SOLID TO LIQUID PASSING THROUGH STATES OF OXYDATION WITH INCREDIBLE COLOURS….

THEN IT WAS THE ACT OF TRANSFORMATION IN ITSELF, THAT CAUGHT ME IN ITS SPELL, LIKE AN ALCHIMIST, CREATING GOLD OUT OF LEAD, OUT OF THINGS REJECTED, THROWN AWAY, FORGOTTEN, OUTCASTS.

I TRY NOT TO BE OBVIOUS, I WANT TO SURPRISE, TO GIVE THE FEELING THAT NOTHING CAN BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED AND LEFT BESIDE AS ALREADY TOO KNOWN. “DON’T SEARCH FOR SECURITY IN THINGS, SEARCH FOR SURPRISE AND WONDER.” IS WHAT I TRY TO TEACH TO MY STUDENTS.