Joey P. Mánlapaz is a contemporary artist known for her distinctive painterly photorealism. She earned her MFA in Painting from The George Washington University, where her interest in DC’s architecture was shaped by her mentor, Frank Wright. Her signature work style merges the meticulous techniques of photorealists like Tom Blackwell and Richard Estes with the psychological nuance of Edward Hopper. The atmosphere inhabiting her paintings carries a distinct infusion of Alfred Hitchcock’s suspenseful mystery, evident in the surreal air, saturated color, and contrasting interplay of light and shadow. Her current work focuses on the everyday urban landscape—storefront windows, bicycles, scooters, newspaper stands, and public sculptures.

From 1992 to 2015, she taught drawing and painting at all levels at the Corcoran College of Art + Design. She currently serves as Faculty at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia and as lecturer at The Art League in Alexandria, Virginia. Her teaching emphasizes realist foundations—composition, direct observation, and drawing—while encouraging students to develop their individual voice. Though grounded in photorealism herself, she supports diverse modes of expression rooted in strong technique.

Mánlapaz’s work has received numerous accolades, including a 2003 commission from the U.S. Library of Congress for the National Book Festival, and the 2012 acquisition of her papers by the Library’s permanent collection. A replica of one of her paintings is installed at the Bethesda Metro Tunnel. She is also an active curator and juror, and the recipient of several fellowships and grants recognizing her artistic contributions.

Some collectors include Akridge, Arnold & Porter, DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, Deloitte & Touche, ING Clarion, Metlife, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, U.S. State Department, White & Case, to name a few.