Dear Diary: Shanay Manitzky

Dear Diary explores everyday thoughts and emotions through coloured pencil drawings and immersive installations, reflecting the raw, fragmented nature of a diary.

Drawings are inspired by our daily existence, while the installations bring to life those unspoken moments beyond the page.

The gallery becomes part studio, part confessional. Visitors are invited into Manitzky's creative process.

This is not just an exhibition; it's a diary made public.

Image: 6pm, 2025 - colour pencil on wood - 30 x 30cm

About the Artist

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).

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). Manitzky has been commissioned by Fraser Coast Regional Council to create permanent public artworks for Maryborough, QLD.

Shanay Manitzky is managed by Aspire Gallery, Paddington, Brisbane.

Exhibition Opening

Dear Diary will be officially opened on Friday, 9 January 2026 at 6pm. 

This is a free event and open to the public.

Come and meet the artist, explore her personal experiences and enjoy a drink from our licensed bar.