Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriela Elias.
Hi Gabriela, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am the youngest daughter of three, so although I used to play a lot with my two brothers, I also learned to entertain myself. I liked to read art books that were in my living room and draw some works by Pablo Picasso with charcoal or pencil. I was fascinated observing the surrealist world of Remedios Varo and I liked to see Diego Rivera’s murals over and over again. After finishing high school, I lived in Paris for a few months, I remember I had a list handwritten by my mother, where she recommended the museums she had admired in her youth. This is how I made my first brushstrokes, inspired by the brilliant colors of impressionist landscapes.
I went back to Mexico, where I studied law and at the same time began to paint in workshops. After getting married, I lived in Costa Rica and Brazil where I continued painting. Thirty years have passed, and together with my husband Guillermo who has been a key piece of the puzzle, I have been able to combine art and family. My three children have grown up visiting exhibitions in museums, art fairs, galleries. This has turned out to be a great opportunity to learn, have fun and enjoy art together as a family.
Although I had spent many hours painting, I still did not feel represented by my artwork. One day a gallery owner who didn’t like my artwork told me: “you need to see more art”. I took his advise and looked for opportunities until I finally got accepted as a Volunteer at the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City where I collaborated with curators, museographers, historians, artists and art lovers for more than three years. It was enriching in many ways. I studied the artist’s work, their context, what they felt and defined them, I even got to know the artists who were alive and presented their work at intimate receptions where we had the privilege to interact with them. This took me to a different level, I began to understand what I painted and wanted to express. I organized exhibitions where I presented my work as part of a message, a dialogue with the audience. For example “Mexico, I work for you” I created different pieces inspired by people who is alive and contribute to this day with their work and dedication for the better. Architects, football players and musicians. I decided to follow special projects and experiments with my work. I felt there was purpose and felt free to dream and create new and exciting work.
I currently live in Austin. I love to paint and I feel excited to be part of a creative community in a beautiful city. I love to be part of this City, its transformation and create work inspired by the events and places that surround us.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the challenges I face is making my hobby or passion my job as well. I like to be productive, get involved in projects and achieve results.
Working out of an office in anonymity, without coworkers and scheduled goals, I can easily get distracted with daily life activities and family responsibilities. Fortunately, painting is what I like to do the most, so I find self-motivation to continue working and evolving.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Sometimes I am sitting without speaking and my husband asks me, Are you painting? My answer is Yes.
Inspiration comes from everywhere, it can be nature, the city, an experience, or a concept.
There is a difference between what I think I am going to do and what materializes on the canvas. It is during the creative process when I am painting that I explore, and new ideas begin to emerge. I add more water, scraping the paint, change the brush for a fork. During the creative process, everything is at trial, I’m not sure what will result, so each piece is a puzzle. In this exploration phase, I sometimes decide to erase what was well done and start over, it is exhausting and you need to manage frustration and keep trying until your work is done.
Intuition and experience are the factors that lead me to resolve.
It’s hard for me to leave the workshop and end the session, so when I finally finish, I’m extremely tired.
What matters most to you?
After many years painting, I have discovered my work is a mirror of my thoughts and feelings. To see my work is to know me.
In my artwork, we sometimes identify patterns, codependence between organisms, and order in chaotic spaces, I search for a definition and predictability.
As an artist, I’m sensitive to the interpellations of daily life. To human, social, political and geographical factors as well as climate change issues. I stand between the frontier of evolution and regression. On one hand, we constantly challenge nature and its resources while on the other hand, we cling to the beauty of life by exploring the greatness of the world.
Reviewing past events makes me rethink and question if some of the systems that were established in the past are still sustainable for our present society.
If we could only go back in time and redefine the course of humanity…
Pricing:
- From 1500 to 9000 usd
Contact Info:
- Email: gabysimbeck@gmail.com
- Instagram: gabrielaelias2
Image Credits
All the art in the images is my original work. 1) Let it beat (colored hearts) 36 x 36 inches, mix media on canvas,2021 available in Austin 2) Circo II, (grey and colored stripes), 51 x 51 inches, mix media on canvas, 2019 available in Austin 3)Motion, (colored rings) 47 x47 inches, acrylic on wood , 2021, available in Austin 4) snow day , 78 x78 inches , mix media on canvas, 2020 5) me in my atelier in Mexico City 6) …y coincidir, acrilyc on canvas, 78 x 70 inches 2019 available in Austin 7) FREE, 78 x 78 inches, acrylic on canvas, 2019 8) moonlight, 70 x 64 inches, mix media on canvas, 2017 9) dulces recuerdos, 70 x 64 inches, mix media on canvas, 2015 10) NOLA Air, 60 x 48 inches, mix media on canvas, 2021
