Ellen Manning
Art Scene China is one of the premier Chinese art galleries in China, with two venues in Shanghai and one space in Beijing. The Gallery specializes in Chinese contemporary art by both emerging and well-established Chinese artists.
Art Scene China has participated in important international art expositions, including Art Chicago, Art Miami, San Francisco International Art Expo, CIGE and Art Cologne.
Ellen attended Art Cologne in Germany (2008) on behalf of the gallery and has authored several Fine Art publications including articles for Spa China Magazine and Community Magazine. Ellen resided in the dynamic Former French Concession in Pu Xi for two years and traveled frequently in and around China. One of her favorite places in China (other than, of course, The Great Wall) is the impressive and vast 798 Art District in Beijing. There, she was fortunate to attend many diverse exhibitions and artists’ studios.
Upon a unique trip to Koh Chang, Ellen fell in love with Thailand and eventually left the bustle of Shanghai for the sunny beaches of southern Koh Samui where she lived and worked for one year. She landed a position at Kamalaya Gallery where she facilitated an artist in resident program and discovered and exposed emerging Southeast Asian artists. Ellen curated several exhibitions in 2008 including “A State of Mind”, “Mysterious Emotions” and “Meditations on Myanmar”. She has also spent time in Chang Mai and Bangkok visiting artists and collaborating with galleries.
Upon returning to Victoria, Ellen worked at the prestigious The Avenue Gallery in Oak Bay Village (2009-2010) with a focus on contemporary Canadian Fine Art. Drawing inspiration from Art Scene China’s Chinese Art Prize and Vancouver’s The Cheaper Show, Ellen created a new platform for up and coming local artists, Victoria Emerging Art Awards. It was at The Avenue Gallery that she launched the inaugural show which was met with great success.
Ellen is pleased to open a boutique gallery in the heart of upper Fort Street where she has fused together her international and local experience in the art industry. She enjoys exposing many unique artists for the first time to the Victoria art scene and many of these artists are sourced from the annual juried Victoria Emerging Art Awards exhibition.
“My goal is to give talented emerging artists a voice and to create a new and exciting market for collectors by offering accessible price points on original Fine Art. We are attracting a very diverse range of collectors – some of them are very seasoned looking for something fresh or a bit edgier, but many of our clients are new to the market which is very exciting.”