There could be a number of reasons why Gabrielle Brown’s art seems so ancient and timeless. It likely has to do with the places she draws her inspiration from, but it could also be that she has a lifetime of experience behind her.
Brown has been creating since she was a child. Every year, her mother would gift her a photography book, and that was the tool she used to teach herself the beginnings of painting and drawing people.
As Brown grew older, she was able to fully commit herself to expanding on her own unique style.
“That’s when things really became clear and my focus on my style started to evolve,” she said. “I spent a lot of time, and still do, studying new techniques as well as observing and dissecting art that I admire.”
Brown considers her work a melting pot of styles. She admires both ancient and modern styles of art, and uses this as inspiration in her own work. She also seeks to incorporate the concepts of nature, high fashion and the connection that cultures around the world share with the planet.
“To me, it’s such a pure and honest way of life. I love royal and tribal adornments, the raw aspects of nature and the artistic design of clothing that I see in high fashion. So, needless to say my goal is to bring all these aspects of what I love and am inspired by together in each piece.”
Typically employing acrylics and ink on wood and paper, Brown’s work is centered around storytelling more than anything. She often uses herself as a main subject, incorporated among other characters she finds intriguing.
Many of her pieces employ the thematic iconography of tribal patterns, eagles and roses. Semi-realistic faces (her own, in most cases) are woven throughout an even more surreal environment, using a bold colour palette. Reds and yellows feature strongly as consistent elements; her use of them particularly stands out as she nearly adheres to bold primary colours. Her palette seems to deal in absolutes.
One standout piece is a rotating wooden sculpture titled ‘Human Spirit Connection,’ an interactive piece with three moving parts. This interactivity lends itself to Brown’s goal for viewers to see themselves and their own stories in her work.
“Overall, my goal is to contrast the struggle of human nature with the light, the core of what makes this world beautiful.”
Brown says that she’s currently working on a new series, including a wooden sculpture that she received a grant towards. She also plans to begin work on a few murals in the spring and early summer of this year.
“It’s been a long overdue dream of mine to bring my art to the streets, so I’m really stoked to finally get that on the go.”
Much of Gabrielle’s work is on display in the Buckland Merrifield Gallery in Saint John.