Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gabriela Domville. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Gabriela, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

My creative journey began at an early age, probably around seven or eight years old. My grandmother used to take me fabric shopping, and I fell in love with the textures and patterns, wrapping myself around the fabric bolts.
My brother, who is also a creative, and I built my first dollhouse using wooden market crates, shoeboxes, and scraps of fabric and rugs from the local tapestry shop. I even designed my own clothes, using newspaper as a pattern to cut simple shapes.
As I grew older, my passion for art deepened. In my teenage years, I took drawing classes with live models, as well as sewing courses. In my final year of high school, I chose beaux-arts subjects, which solidified my decision to pursue a path in the arts.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I studied fashion design and started working in the industry at just 19 years old. Over time, I worked my way up from an entry-level position to directing a design team. After several years in fashion, I took a year-long break to pursue a master’s in ceramics in Florence, Italy—a transformative experience that deepened my appreciation for materiality and craftsmanship. I later returned to fashion for another seven years, launching my own linen brand specializing in embroidered duvet covers and tablecloths, while also designing private label collections for interior design stores.
Despite my success in fashion and interiors, I always felt the pull to return to drawing and fine art. When I became a full-time mother of two, I turned to art classes at the Athenaeum as a creative outlet. That experience rekindled my passion and set me on the path to becoming a full-time artist. I later enrolled at UCSD, completing certifications in both the creative process and photography.
I am a lifelong learner, having studied under a wide range of artists and continuously refining my craft. Since taking my first class in 2009, I have completed 79 workshops, an accomplishment I am deeply proud of.
What I Do Today
My work blends traditional materials—acrylic, oil, wood, canvas, and paper—with unconventional elements like fabric and stitching, a technique influenced by my fashion background. I create one-of-a-kind mixed-media collages, often incorporating vintage paper, handwritten text, floral and nature elements, and layered textures to evoke a sense of nostalgia and storytelling.
I specialize in custom-made art tailored to my clients’ needs, including large-scale installations that break away from traditional art forms. My strength lies in understanding a client’s vision and translating it into a meaningful, tangible piece that reflects their personal story.
Beyond creating, I have also spent years teaching both children and adults in my studio, sharing my passion for art and guiding others in their creative journeys.
What Sets Me Apart
I don’t just create art—I create experiences and connections through my work. My background in fashion, interiors, and ceramics allows me to bring a unique, interdisciplinary approach to my art. I see beauty in unexpected combinations, blending materials and techniques that tell stories, evoke emotion, and challenge traditional artistic boundaries.
I am most proud of how my art resonates with people, sparking memories, emotions, and inspiration. Whether collectors are looking for a unique wall piece, a connection to the past, or a statement work that blends history with creativity, my work offers something deeply personal.
For those new to my art, I want them to know that every piece is crafted with intention, passion, and a love for storytelling through materials. My goal is to create work that not only decorates a space but adds depth, nostalgia, and inspiration to everyday life.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Society can best support artists by treating creativity as important and ensuring artists are fairly paid for their work through grants, residencies, and proper compensation for commissions. It’s essential to include art in schools so that future generations value creativity. Artists also need access to affordable spaces to work and opportunities to showcase their art in public spaces or online platforms, not just traditional galleries. Building strong support networks, offering mentorship programs, and protecting artists’ rights helps them succeed. Encouraging people to buy directly from artists and support local art projects gives artists financial stability. By taking these steps, we create a system where artists can grow, share their work, and thrive in society.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

When I paint, time disappears. The world dissolves, leaving only the movement of my brush, the rhythm of color flowing across the canvas. Happiness washes over me—an ebb of comfort, a deep sense of calm, connection, and release. It’s a perfect moment, suspended in time, where nothing else matters—not warmth or cold, not needs or wants. Just creation.
Painting is a dance—the gentle whisper of bristles against the canvas, the motion of my body moving in sync with the art. Each stroke pulls me deeper, turning thoughts into color, emotions into form. It’s a rhythm that quiets the mind, a language without words. Few understand how pure that feeling is—it’s food for the soul.
Satisfaction comes in layers—the unexpected harmony of colors, the way breaking rules leads to something new. I paint to explore, to express, to connect. To bring beauty where it wasn’t before. And most of all, I paint because in these moments, I am fully present, fully alive.

Different techniques create different emotions. Some bring control; others invite chaos. I experiment, searching for the magic that happens when colors meet in unexpected ways. There is something captivating about finding beauty where others might not see it—pairing colors that shouldn’t work together and watching them blend into something breathtaking.
I break rules to find new forms of expression, to create balance in the unplanned. Art is discovery, an endless unfolding of what can be. I paint not just to fill a canvas, but to reveal something new—to myself, to others, to the world.

My art is a reflection of my duality. I am both feminine and bold, soft and structured. I love lace and delicacy, but I am also drawn to clean, modern lines. My taste is eclectic yet intentional—a harmony of contrasts, blending the old with the new, the classic with the unconventional. My paintings and collages hold this same tension, a dance of opposing elements that somehow belong together.
I love seeing how different styles merge, how contrast creates something striking. In my work, I embrace both the simplicity and the complexity, the familiar and the unexpected.

I paint to explore. To relax. To connect—with myself, with others, with the emotions that can’t always be spoken. I paint to bring beauty into the world, to create something that sparks a feeling, a memory, a moment of joy.
And most of all, I paint because it is where I feel the most free. In these moments, I am not just an artist—I am alive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gabrieladomville.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabrieladomvilleart/