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

Gabrielle, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

When I began painting full-time two years ago, after a decade as a designer, user researcher, and entrepreneur, I expected a steep learning curve. I’d just moved (back) to New York, knew almost no one in the art world, and had never created an abstract painting before. What I didn’t expect was how destabilizing it would be to move from a career defined by collaboration and structure to days that were entirely self-directed and silent.

As someone with ADHD, that transition was both liberating and disorienting. I could envision the kind of work I wanted to make, but I didn’t yet have the visual language or rhythm to get there. Without deadlines or feedback loops, progress felt invisible. There were stretches when I questioned everything: my direction, my process, whether I belonged in this world at all

This May, I took a risk and invested in my first art fair before I felt ready. That experience gave me what I’d been missing: structure, feedback, and the chance to connect directly with people IRL. After four days of standing in my booth and talking to people, I felt unexpectedly energized. That realization —that talking about art can be as energizing as making it — changed the trajectory of my practice.

Since then, I’ve been intentional about building community around my work. I’ve organized monthly gallery crawls, painted in public, and co-hosted art events in New York to create space for dialogue and shared discovery. I’ll be back at the same art fair in November, this time with a deeper sense of purpose. For me, events and community have become the scaffolding that allows my practice to expand while keeping me grounded in what matters most: connection, curiosity, and creative momentum.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a Brooklyn-based multimedia artist working across abstract painting, drawing, collage, and three-dimensional forms. My work blends intuitive, organic gestures with repurposed materials, exploring how we create, consume, and connect with the social, built, and natural environments. Each piece is both process-driven and deeply considered, inviting viewers to engage with perception, memory, and emotion.

I began pursuing art seriously just two years ago. The turning point came when my girlfriend, a talented designer and art school graduate, encouraged me to commit fully: to rent a studio, dedicate time to learning the craft, and start building a network. She gave feedback on my work and even offset part of my rent so I could have a dedicated space outside our tiny one-bedroom apartment. That support allowed me to treat my art as a professional pursuit and gave me the space and time I needed. I wouldn’t be pursuing art without her guidance, and I’m deeply grateful — she believed in me before I did.

Before pursuing art full-time, I spent a decade as a designer, user researcher, and entrepreneur, and I hold an MFA in Product Design from Stanford. That experience shapes how I approach my practice: I study relationships, simplify complexity, and consider how people interact with space and material.

I draw inspiration from relationships, travel, and time spent in nature. Whether through folded canvases, monoprinting, or layered surfaces, my work investigates chance, intimacy, and memory, while creating space for reflection and emotional connection. I aim to produce pieces that reward repeated viewing and invite personal interpretation.

My work is held in private collections across North America, including New York, California, and Texas. I strive to continue producing work that is both conceptually rigorous and emotionally compelling. For collectors, my art offers a unique combination of thoughtful materiality, bold abstraction, and deeply personal exploration, a practice that is continually evolving yet rooted in human experience of our changing environments.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I see art as a tool for connection, reflection, and even healing. Neuroscience and neuroaesthetics are confirming what artists have long known: engaging with art can provide mental clarity, reduce anxiety, help process trauma, and boost cognitive and emotional well-being. We naturally love to draw, build, and make, yet as we age, access to the arts diminishes. Public school programs are underfunded, and many people have internalized the idea that art is elitist or intimidating.

I want to change that. My mission is to create work that is both high-quality and approachable — pieces that invite curiosity and reflection while maintaining the depth and rigor of a professional practice — and to co-create spaces where people feel inspired and seen. Art should feel alive, not inaccessible or intimidating. This guides both my studio practice and my efforts outside the studio, from organizing events to painting in public and creating spaces where art and conversation intersect.

At its core, my work is about connection: between people, materials, and environments, and between the internal and external worlds we inhabit. I’m fascinated by how relationships, experiences, and environments leave their marks on us. I aim to create work that is emotionally honest, conceptually rigorous, and fosters curiosity, whether with oneself, with others, or within the spaces we share.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

NYFA, MoMA courses on Coursera, MoMA’s Writing Club, Artwork Archive Monthly Opportunities Newsletter, Golden’s videos on their website, The National Gallery of Art Talks, The app SeeSaw for gallery & museum shows

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gabrielleguthrie.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabrielleguthrie/
• Other: Substack:

  https://gabrielleguthrie.substack.com

  TikTok:

  https://www.tiktok.com/@gabrielleguthrie

Image Credits

Gabrielle Guthrie, Michael Yuan, Sean Stronger