Artist Tara Jon Manning has been making things ever since she can remember. Tara (pronounced “Tah-Ruh”) started knitting at age eight, and was painting & stitching before then. With a jazz musician father and a spiritual seeker mom, her childhood was far from conventional When she was 11 years old. Tara’s family moved from central New Jersey to Boulder, Colorado .After graduating from Boulder High School in 198something, Tara completed a BFA in drawing & painting at the University of Colorado, 1993. During undergraduate work, she knit a whole bunch of sweaters and began to explore hand knitting design.
At the encouragement of a shop-owning friend she designed and created her first collection of baby knits. This led to the creation of a small, bespoke line of baby clothing and a master’s degree in apparel/textile design & fiber arts (Colorado State University, 1995). As a graduate student, (thanks to a referal from Fiber Artist/Professor Tom Lundberg) Tara had the great fortune to intern and contribute to a brand new knitting publication at nearby Interweave Press. Interweave Knits magazine debuted in 1996 under editor Marilyn Murphy. Several designs from Tara’s Aran Knitting thesis collection were included in the Fall 1997 issue (Poudre River Pullover, Hollow Oak Lace Cardigan), Since then, Tara’s designs have been published in many knitting magazines, books, and the collections of yarn companies.
Just before the turn of the 21st century, Tara & her family opened and operated Over the Moon Cafe & Mercantile in Longmont, Colorado. One of the country’s first “knit cafes”, Over the Moon combined delicious drinks & treats, curated gifts & gourmet items with fine quality yarns & knitting supplies. Through that venue, Tara published a line of original design knitting patterns and developed material for her books and workshops. Notably Tara created the Mindful Knitting Retreat based on her book of the same name. The four day retreat took place in Vermont at a classic country inn. Mindful Knitting & Meditation sessions in the morning were followed by yoga, cross country skiing, massages, knitting by the fireside and all kinds of great stuff. These events also featured mini markets of amazing local goods and so much locally produced yarn. The best of super-slow hyper-local fashion. Tara is working on ideas for more retreats and fiber experiences in the western US. (if you know of the perfect location to accommodate 30 knitters with room, board and access to outdoor activities, Let Her Know.)
Tara’s best creations are sons Jack & Zane (pics below). Now handsome young men, Tara keeps trying to knit things for them, sometimes they agree. She lives in the sunshine and mile high attitude of Boulder County, Colorado.
Tara’s published works include books Men in Knits (Interweave), The Gift Knitter (Berkeley/Penguin), Mindful Knitting (Tuttle), Compassionate Knitting (Tuttle) and Nature Babies (Random House).
Please contact Tara with design & teaching requests. Email: Tara Jon Manning.
Please direct publishing inquiries/author requests to The Linda Roghaar Literary Agency.
