We were lucky to catch up with Gabrielle Dobrzelewski recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gabrielle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Since childhood I was interested in creative pursuits such as writing, music, and visual art. However, as I got older I realized visual art was the path that was calling me – everything always seemed to lead back to it at the end of the day.

I remember the crossroad I came to as high school neared to a close and I was faced with the question of what path I’d take in regards to pursuing higher education – my interests varied, but ultimately visual art proved to be the final answer. I went to art school and studied representational painting. During my time there I learned a great deal technique wise, however since graduating I feel that’s when the real work began – not only am I still actively pursuing technique refinement, but now I’m at a place where I’m also exploring personal vision. The goal post is forever moving, but I actively remind myself that with art the destination is the journey itself.

Gabrielle, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi! I’m Gabrielle – I’m an artist and art educator who focuses on making and teaching representational art.

Presently my body of work is focused around the utilization of self-portraiture as a point of departure to explore narratives that are informed by lived experiences and/or emotional states that I feel compelled to express. I’ve begun dipping my toes more and more into showing my work publicly, which has been exciting as I feel the goal of art is to connect and communicate.

Teaching has been a newer development, and I’ve found it to be rewarding in a number of ways that I couldn’t have anticipated when initially going in. It’s made me a better artist, a more sensitive and attuned individual – to those external to myself, but also to my intuition, and overall more trusting of myself and my capabilities.

I have a holistic outlook when it comes to life – personal life, studio practice, and teaching all inform each other at the end of the day, and as I continue down the path I’m on the one overarching thing I aim to strive for – both personally and professionally – is to create a space of emotional validation while still providing as even handed a perspective as I can. The one lesson I’m still actively learning that I also try to impart on those I come across in life is this: when you allow yourself to truly see yourself, you then allow yourself to see other people for who they are, in their fullness, as well.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I think the biggest lesson I had to unlearn (and am still actively unlearning) is that there’s a fine line between healthy self awareness and criticism when it comes to the work you do, and unproductive cruelty that one can show themselves both when it comes to their individual development and their work. The unproductive criticism can become a cause of insecurity and lack of action that then snowball if left unchecked.

I’ve found personal growth moves in tandem with artistic growth. I’m most productive and capable of showing up for others is when I can give myself grace – shifting my concern from being “perfect” into being authentic. My studio practice is most productive when I’m not being critical of what I’m producing, and giving myself the space and grace to mess up, to make a “bad” piece of art.

Teaching, I’ve found, has been incredibly important to me in that respect. When I get up to lecture in front of the class, or engage one on one with a student, I have to commit myself to action and center my concern on the needs of others. Thinking of myself as a helper, or vessel that information can be shared through, as opposed to an authority makes teaching feel less daunting and more meaningful to me.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The fullness of living a creative life is what I’ve found to be most rewarding. Living a creative life is eventful, complex, full of meaningful connections, and constantly shifting. I feel like I’m truly LIVING, being an active participant in my own life, which is terrifying and exciting and freeing and full of uncertainty and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I get to make my work, and meet so many intelligent, wonderful, deeply interesting people, all while shaping myself into the person I want myself to be. I really can’t ask for much more I feel – I’m deeply content with my life. I think when one is creative too there’s a sensitivity that tends to follow suit, and that’s something I’m grateful for possessing. The mundane is poetic and exciting, the small things bring immense joy, and the work I make and the relationships I have in my life make my experience of this life meaningful.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gabrielledart.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/gabrielled_art

Image Credits
Gabrielle Dobrzelewski