Manuela Thames is a photo-based artist and lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota with her husband and two children. Originally from Germany, she moved to the US in 2004 when she married her husband, who is American. Her background is in nursing and alternative health, but around 2008 she began to focus solely on photography after two life-changing events happened within one year: the death of her brother and the birth of her first child.

Her work consists largely of fine art self-portraits as she aims to explore the brokenness of humanity, the struggles of loss and grief, her personal experiences with generational trauma and mental health struggles.

Within that she continues to explore the human ability of coping, the strength that evolves out of suffering and our common desire for healing and journey towards wholeness.

Her photography has been exhibited nationally and internationally and her work has been published in numerous photographic journals and magazines.

She teaches workshops privately and through Santa Fe Workshops, and offers mentoring services as well.

Awards and Recognitions:

  • 2022 | 18th Julia Margaret Cameron Award, Self Portrait Category Series, Honorable Mention
  • 2022 | All About Photo.com, Solo Exhibition June, Finalist
  • 2021 | 17th Julia Margaret Cameron Award, Portrait Category Series, Honorable Mention
  • 2021 | Honorable Mention, Praxis Gallery, Minneapolis, MN. “The Beauty in Madness”, juried group exhibition
  • 2021 | All About Photo.com, Special Mention Solo Exhibition May 2021 |
  • 2021 | Creative Photo Awards, Siena Awards, Shortlisted
  • 2019 | Gold Award San Francisco Bay International Photography Competition and Exhibition
  • 2019 | Mono Visions Photography Award, Black and White Conceptual Photo Series of the year, 1st place
  • 2019 | 13th Julia Margaret Cameron Award Self Portrait Category Series Winner
  • 2019 | Fine Art Photo Award Nominee Amateur Category
  • 2018 | 11th Edition of Julia Margaret Cameron Award, Self Portrait Finalist
  • 2016 | Black And White Magazine Portfolio Contest Spotlight Award
  • 2015 | Honorable Mention, "Fine Art", B&W Child Photography: 2nd Annual International Photo Contest
  • 2015 | Honorable Mention, "Portraits", B&W Child Photography: 2nd Annual International Photo Contest

Print Publications:

  • 2022 | Glasgow Gallery of Photography, International Open Call Part 1
  • 2021 | Shots Magazine (Spring Issue)
  • 2020 | Book Cover “Sous Lex Saux Noires” by Lori Roy (Novel), French Edition
  • 2020 | Book Cover “Quelqu'un de bien” by Francois Boudin (Novel) (French Edition), published by Belfont Press
  • 2019 | Peculiars Magazine, Anatomy of Melancholy, Issue 2
  • 2019 | New Mexico’s Art Magazine “Pasatiempo”, Interview and Feature
  • 2018 | Book Cover, How To Be A Sinner by Peter Bouteneff, published by St. Vladimirs Seminary Press
  • 2018 | (Winter) Shots Magazine #138 Feature and Interview
  • 2017 | Album Cover “Notre From Here” Minneapolis band
  • 2017 | (April) Black And White Magazine Feature and Interview
  • 2016 | (October) SUN Magazine
  • 2016 | Cover of Aina, a novel published by Book Hill Publication, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • 2015 | Minneapolis Photo Center Exhibition Book
  • 2015 | PhotoPlaceGallery "Open Call" Exhibition Catalog 
  • 2013 | PhotoPlaceGallery "Selfportrait" Exhibition Catalogue

Online Publications:

Exhibitions:

  • 2022 | Glasgow Gallery of Photography, International Open Call Part 1, Glasgow, Scotland
  • 2022 | Praxis Gallery, Minneapolis, MN. “Transience”, juried group exhibition
  • 2022 | PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT. “Dreams and Imaginings”, juried group exjibition
  • 2021 | Praxis Gallery, Minneapolis, MN. “The Beauty in Madness”, juried group exhibition
  • 2021 | Praxis Gallery, Minneapolis, MN. “Mono-Chromatik”, juried group exhibition
  • 2021 | University of Minnesota, Hubbard School of Journalism, Minneapolis, MN. “Documenting and Reckoning/ The Murder of George Floyd”, juried group exhibition.
  • 2020 | Blue Spiral Gallery, Ashville, NC, Group Exhibition “She”, five prints
  • 2019 | Invitation for CENTER’S Annual Review Santa Fe Photo Festival, October
  • 2019 | ACCI Gallery, Berkley California, San Francisco Bay International Photography Competition and Exhibition
  • 2019 | Center Santa Fe and Currents New Media, “Shifting Perspectives, Invited for a collaborative photography exhibition,
  • 2019 | Blue Spiral Gallery, Ashville, North Carolina, “SHE”, Invited for the all women show featuring artists who create works of women or about women.
  • 2019 | The Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, Colorado, Black and White juried group exhibition
  • 2018 | Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, Colorado. Black and White juried group exhibition
  • 2018 | Photo Place Gallery, Middlebury, VT. “Black and White 2018 | ”, juried group exhibition.
  • 2018 | 5th Biennial of Fine Art & Documentary Photography, Barcelona, Spain.
  • 2016 | White Center for the Art, White Bear Lake MN. "Self Portrait" group exhibition, curated by Douglas Beasley 
  • 2016 | Amore Coffee, Saint Paul MN. "Self Portrait" solo exhibition
  • 2015 | Minneapolis Photo Center, Minneapolis MN. "Portraits" juried group exhibition.
  • 2015 | PhotoPlaceGallery, Middlebury, VT. "Open Call" juried group exhibition.
  • 2015 | Gallery 360, Minneapolis, MN. Five Foot Show as part of the 15th Anniversary celebration.
  • 2014 | Solomon’s Porch Gallery, Minneapolis, MN. "Self Portraits" group exhibition.
  • 2014 | Trotter’s Café, Saint Paul, MN. Solo exhibition. 
  • 2013 | Homewood Studios, Minneapolis, MN. "The Transparent Self" juried group exhibition.
  • 2013 | Flow Art Space, Saint Paul, MN. "Me, Myself and Eye" juried group exhibition.
  • 2013 | Black Box Gallery, Portland, OR. "Shades of Gray" juried group exhibition.
  • 2013 | Black Box Gallery, Portland, OR. "Photo Salon" juried group exhibition.
  • 2013 | Trotter’s Café, St. Paul, MN. "Community Art Show" juried group exhibition.
  • 2007 | South Bend CRC Atrium Gallery, South Bend, IN. Solo exhibition.