Alia Manetta Shows How Inspiration Can Become Motivation for Impact
Alia Manetta wears many hats. She is a scientist, a pioneer, and a mentor. But she’s also an artist, a kind soul, and a bountiful spirit. By day she works in biotech, and on nights and weekends she delves deep into her art.
While in grad school at UCLA, Manetta worked in research and realized that grant funding often took longer than the actual proposed time of research. She found that important researchers weren't getting funded because not enough people had donated money to support their ideas. Finding this unacceptable, she strived to make a change and turned to her passion of art.
Creating art had always been a way for Manetta to connect to people, as well as something that put her into a meditative state.
She knew that combining her love of art and giving back would be the perfect resolution.
In 2019 she started Alia Manetta Studios, catapulting her art from a hobby to a lucrative side hustle. She started doing commissions and immediately began donating profits to the ACS’ ResearcHERS campaign, which funds female researchers. In 2020, she continued her mission and donated 100% of her profits to the American Cancer Society, another cause close to her heart.
Today, Manetta has clients all over the world which find her via her Instagram page, @aliamanettastudio. From Norway to the East Coast to her hometown of Laguna Beach, the young artist chooses only the most meaningful projects to take on. The selectiveness and exclusivity has made it so she doesn’t get burned out and continues to do what she loves, filling her time with inspiring stories of creation.
Indeed, one of her favorite projects was for a family whose mother had battled cancer multiple times before passing. When they reached out to see if Alia could replicate four different renditions of her beloved Doc Martin shoes to symbolize the journey of her life, Alia knew it would allow her to create with deeper meaning, knowing how much it would mean to the family, as well as her donation to the fight against cancer.
She’s also worked with national brands like WeWork, who commissioned her to create a sustainability-focused mural where she used non-chemical paints, with each symbol and color representing a part of the environment.
Compassion is second nature for Manetta, who contributes her passion to her community. “I feel so lucky to be raised in Laguna Beach, in such a creative community. I am blessed and recognize this everyday,” she explains. “My compassion comes from gratitude and recognizing my opportunities and wanting to share those through art and joy to others. Right now AM Studios is purely creative, and therefore it’s coming from a place of raw passion.”
Follow Alia Manetta and AM Studios journey via Instagram at @aliamanettastudio or through her website: aliamanetta.com.
Gemma Totten is a world traveler, but first and foremost, a Laguna local. Catch up with her on her dream (and beach)-worthy Instagram at @gemmatotten.