SCR Update #7 – Meet the Staff: Manny Lopez, The Art Director

SCR Update #7 – Meet the Staff: Manny Lopez, The Art Director

And greetings yet again. Today, we are bringing to you a true Sand Canyon Review legend, Manny Lopez. Managing editor for the first issue of The Sand Canyon Review, Manny has continued with the magazine as the art director, bringing his style and vision with him. He will be missed and The Sand Canyon Review will lose a great asset once he’s move on from our magazine.

- David Dysart, PR Director


Los Angels born, Manny Lopez, is a Southern California based artist, whose sometimes-controversial work ranges from photography to mixed media. Currently residing in the Inland Empire, Manny Lopez continues to follow his artistic goals with some Sunnydale wit along the way. While always striving to create more emotionally raw conceptual pieces, there’s far more to this artist than meets the eye, when inspecting his darkly honest work.

Bilingual by nature, the languages that part his lips never felt his own. However, except for a certain visual language he discovered early on; one that he’ll describe as being universal to all of humanity. Thus once given a sketchpad, Manny Lopez knew he could communicate his thoughts with louder tones than his verbal pitch could. Rightfully so, his pieces continue to grab attention with the stories and questions he hopes to ask of those who view what he presents on the gallery floor - his voice.

While he considers his first language to be Art, Manny Lopez continues to explore his interests beyond the offerings of the sketchpad. Having had his written pieces published, from short stories to articles, Manny Lopez enjoys exploring painting with the written word. Understanding the craft of emotionally taking an audience through a journey, Manny Lopez hopes to be able to provide those who stumble upon his words, with the same gust just as his visual pieces do. Not for shock value, but for a deeper questioning of a person’s inner identity and their struggle in the process of self-discovery.

Finding that not only can art speak a message but that it too can also help others beyond the creator of a work, Manny Lopez has also showcased pieces to raise funds for AIDS related charities, which he holds dear. Having created work exclusively for these charities, Manny Lopez wishes to be able to continue to help AIDS related organizations, in light of the current disappearing funds available to them. With a growing sense of community and much like others, its also Manny’s wish to help stop this silent thief (AIDS) from taking others far sooner than they should.

Returning for another year on The Sand Canyon Review, Manny Lopez along with the Art Department are on the search for the 2011 collection to be featured in this new edition. Hoping to find new artists, daring to tell us their truth, the collection for this new 2011 edition of The Sand Canyon Review is slowly forming to be the best of this magazine’s history. Building upon what the previous edition touched, the 2011 edition will hold more surprises and feature edgy artistic talent.

Working on new pieces, or attending college courses, Manny Lopez prefers to keep a tight schedule. However when not creating, Manny Lopez can be found with Eric Northman, as he reads the latest Sookie Stackhouse novel. And currently awaiting the latest Scream franchise installment… Manny’s a sucker for a horror movie.