Manda Comisari

I have always been drawn to stories with a strong emotional core. A recurring theme throughout my work is an exploration between the seen and unseen, inviting viewers to uncover and reflect on the quiet parts of life that often go unnoticed or ignored.

I have a deep interest in Mother Nature, and draw my inspiration from a combination of observations of the world around me, my own personal experiences, and a greater understanding that nothing exists solely on the surface. I love uncovering the seemingly endless metaphors for the human condition that can be found laced throughout the natural world, and I’m always surprised at how easily one idea can help inform another.

I’m compelled by gouache as a medium for the same reasons that I love a great story. Its temperamental nature often encourages the misrepresentation of gouache as a difficult paint to work with, when in reality it just requires a different understanding. Painting with gouache is a continuous balance between control and spontaneity, something that exists at the heart of any great creative pursuit. In many ways, it’s about learning when and how to lean into each in order to serve a greater vision.

My latest collection exemplifies this approach, using a combination of controlled layers and impulsive decisions in tandem with big ideas to encourage discovery and reflection. Each piece depicts common houseplants through the view of an X-ray, revealing intricate root systems that mirror the complexities of our inner lives. Just as plants present their foliage to the world, we often wear a façade of wellbeing while concealing tangled emotions beneath.

The idea for my newest works was influenced by my experience of temporary vision loss in 2023 following a medical misdiagnosis. For the following eight months of blindness, I filled my flat with houseplants as a way to ground myself. While I very much looked the same outwardly, my insides were wrought with emotions. When I recovered and repotted my leafy companions, I recognized their surprising root systems mirrored my own tangled insides. They offered a striking parallel to my lived journey. It turns out, we all have "Weird Roots" in one way or another.

Painting with gouache is to paint in layers, just as telling a story is to uncover layers of truth and emotion. Somewhere inside those layers is where I like to think my practice lies.