“Where Art meets Literature!”
My Purpose
To help myself & others break free from past childhood trauma, relationships gone bad, family or outside that have haunted us our entire lives! Creating artistic illustrations and literature has been very therapeutic for me for many years and still is today. I believe there is hope and freedom for myself and others and so, I want to share my message with anyone out there who is willing to read it.
My Creative Process
I wanted to share my stories with both art and literature, so I created “Eric Manning Book and Art Gallery.” I have been sketching and painting for over two decades and this creative process eventually gave me a language to express inside the stories of my books.
After finishing each of the pieces, I would wait days for them to dry and at times I noticed myself staring at my spiritual, psychological and emotional expressions for hours at a time contemplating the reality and relevance of them in my life. It was during these moments that I began to experience a freedom from my past trauma in the present and hope for my future which I could not deny.
As I added more and more pieces to my collection, they acted as visual aids, to inspire me to finally attempt to “write from the heart” about what I had been through and the redemptive process continuing to go on inside me. Although very difficult at times, my writing about the artwork helped me get through the many tragedies of the past that were brought up into the present moments of intense pain.
Pull Quotes from The Secret that Kills / The Spirit That Saves
What’s new:
Eric’s Blog: Artistic Perspectives of Recovery”
Feb 2025 – Between Heaven and Hell
Feb 2025- “Religion: The Relationship Killer”
https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/1342064145774836885/1664174091584362371
Feb 2025- “Emotional Instability”- Blog
https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/1342064145774836885/4370557409993413779
What’s Up and Coming:
May 2025 – I will have a booth at the next “Lit & Libations” author’s event. There will also be other books, merchandise, and food for sale at this unique venue.
January 2025 – I am working on another illustrated poetry book based on the story of the painting “Grace Under Pressure,” which is currently displayed in the Fusion Gallery (see below).
December 2024 – I now have a couple of pieces in the Fusion Gallery at the Parkville Frame Gallery shop which just opened in Parkville, Missouri. One is called “Grace Under Pressure” and the other is “New York Redemption“. These will be displayed until February of 2025. There are many other beautiful pieces of artwork there as well… go check it out!
Social Media
YouTube video extract about a conversation after publishing “The Secret That Kills / Spirit That Saves” (uploaded May 2024)