Gabrielle Brown
Gabrielle_Brown_balanceiseverything_acryliconwoodcarvings_12x5_2022๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ฝ๐ง๐ค๐ฌ๐ฃ ๐๐จ ๐ ๐ข๐ช๐ก๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐จ ๐ฃ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ก ๐จ๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ค๐ช๐๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐จ, ๐จ๐๐ช๐ก๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฅ๐ช๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ข๐ช๐ง๐๐ก๐จ. ๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐ช๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐ช๐ฉ๐๐ก๐๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ฉ ๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐๐ก๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ค๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ค๐ช๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐จ, ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐๐ก ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐, ๐จ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฉ ๐๐ญ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐. ๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ ๐จ ๐๐๐จ๐จ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ง๐จ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐จ, ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ, ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐จ๐ค๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐, ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ช๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐จ ๐๐ช๐ข๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐จ. ๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐๐จ ๐ค๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ช๐ฅ๐ก๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ค๐ก๐จ, ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐๐จ - ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐จ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ข๐๐จ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ข๐๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐. ๐ฝ๐ค๐ง๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ 1994 ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐พ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฝ๐ง๐ช๐ฃ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐๐ , ๐ฝ๐ง๐ค๐ฌ๐ฃ ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ช๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ง๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐๐ช๐ก๐ฅ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐จ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ข๐ช๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ก๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ค๐ช๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐พ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ก๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐ง๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ , ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐๐๐จ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ก๐ฎ ๐ข๐ค๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ฉ ๐ ๐ค๐๐ฃ, ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ค๐ก๐๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ ๐พ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐. Her w๐ค๐ง๐ ๐๐๐จ ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐ผ๐ง๐ฉ ๐ฝ๐๐จ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ข๐, ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐๐ก ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ค๐ง๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐๐จ.
1. Hi Gabrielle, tell us about your background. How and when did you first start to paint and sculpt?
Hello, well it really has been a creative journey since I was a child. I have made things for as long as I can remember. But really once I graduated high school I knew I wanted to pursue it as a career path. I worked a few small jobs and painted on the side and then once my son was born in 2015 I made a very conscious decision to make it work full time. The sculpting didnโt come into play until 4 years ago, I had always been deeply inspired by wood carvings made from various folk artists/outsider artists, and had played around with sculpting with other materials for a long while, but I knew I wanted to carve with wood. I received a grant to buy the tools I needed and it wasnโt until a year after that, that I really dedicated time to it.
2. You grew up along the river side and mountains in New Brunswick. How has this environment influenced your art?
Its played a big role in every part of my life. I feel being in nature clears my mind instantly and I can hear my inner voice which is very important and crucial for me in creating anything, or just to function in this world. I really enjoy painting mountains, rivers and wild animals, so it all comes back to my time as a child. I have so many good memories playing outside, swimming in the river, eagles flying over.. it brings a smile to my face.
3. What is your process like? How do you begin to work?
It depends on the day for the most part, but usually I paint/sculpt monday-friday while my son is at school. So I take him there, come home, and usually I get to it. I like to put on some music.. or whatever Iโm in the mood for, today I had a few different documentaries playing on filmmakers that inspire me, so sometimes listening to people talk helps me get going. But for the most part I get my paint out and get to work, I also try to work 2-3 nights a week which I enjoy as well.
4. You utilize many folk art materials in your work, including wood and various paints. How do these materials contribute to the natural and intuitive aesthetic you strive to create?
I just really love the imperfection and the character wood scraps have, and in the past few years its been very therapeutic to just let go and to not try to hard to make something overly polished or finished looking. Mind you I also enjoy getting technical and learning new tricks but its always about balance. But overall when it comes to using certain materials, especially when Im sculpting I really try not to overdue it and let the material shine as much as possible. Sometimes I add horse hair or just paint very loosely on the woodโฆIm just letting what Im using take the lead.. and for me its a pleasurable experience.
5. Your works explore the relationships we have with ourselves, our companions, our society, and our past. How do you approach such complex subject matter in your work?
It all stems in being present, I try not to really give what Iโm making to much thought. I feel that naturally in my subconscious I am going through my own experiences in the work and that translates into how we as humans connect with ourselves, a higher power, nature, and the world around us.
6. Your imagery often contrasts confrontational elements with uplifting symbols, action, and words. Can you tell us about a specific piece where you employed this technique
and what you aimed to convey?
I really think that the balance between aggression and sadnessโฆto joy and peace is fundamental and something that always interests me, both in my creations and in life. I think that experiencing all these feelings, the hardships and the happy moments are all beautiful. I think that when Im making something I look for the balance between both experiences. That said, I believe all the work I make showcases this, but some more then others. More specifically I just finished a piece that I havenโt released yet, it is of two dobermans fighting with blood all over them, flames in the background, and on the top left hand corner is a representation of God, with a river flowing out of its mouth with flowers and rocks around it, and the river ends between the dogsโฆwith a single drop of water. To me that represents the battle we sometimes have with ourselves, and the importance of letting go and letting the river carry you.
7. Describe a real-life situation that inspired you.
I would say the experience I had the year leading up to my mom passing away, it was a really challenging year, it was for a few years prior to that, but the last year was difficult seeing her decline in her health, and I was her main caretaker at the time. So I think that being with her as she slowly transitioned on was very eye opening and still is, it has effected me deeply in ways that Im still learning and figuring out, and Im seeing it clearly in the work, and the work has helped me heal tremendously.
8. You have traveled the world and moved throughout Canada. How has your art evolved and reflected these experiences?
Getting out and seeing the world helps me evolve as a person and that translates into what I make. I think that change is important and being plucked from your safe space gives you a new perspective, so traveling and moving around is a big part of what I enjoy doing and through those experiences I see new sides in me and the work always showcases that.
9. You have created public murals in addition to paintings and sculptures. Can you speak to
the unique challenges and opportunities of working on a large-scale, public project?
Its been a few years to say the least, but I really loved being outside and painting on walls. I have always found painting large scale to be exhilarating. I feel excited when I have to put a lot of physical work into something. That said, its challenging when dealing with the elements with a time constraint, its a lot different then how I work in the studio. But even with those challenges I really enjoy it, and I look forward to getting out and doing murals again. As far as opportunities go, its so wonderful to be out in the public painting, getting to interact with people and just to be outside feels really good, its a very nice switch from my usually routine of being inside working.
10. How has the city you are living and working in influenced you and the art you make?
Its a very old city right on the ocean, it holds a lot of character but is also dominated by the oil industry with a lot of industrialization and pollutionโฆ so theres this very strong contrast between beauty and greed. There is also a special feeling here that is hard to explain, its very small and the people here are very unique in there own way, I really find the grittiness of it all keeps me curious and fascinated. Its never a dull moment thats for sure, I can walk outside my steps and see many different walks of life, theres no real โrichโ or โpoorโ area per say its all blended in for the most part, so ya, I find Im always sitting back and admiring the strangeness, which all seeps into what I make.
