Issue 5 Artist Spotlight | Gabriella Giaconia
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Gabriella!
GG: I am an elementary school art teacher in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. I love going to art galleries and museums around NYC, going for walks by the water, painting and making my own art, spending time with family and friends, trying new restaurants, reading, going to the beach.
C+B: How has your relationship with your work changed since you first started creating?
GG: I've become much more consistent in making work—the book, "The Artist's Way" helped me realize so much about being an artist and the importance of making art and looking at art regularly.
C+B: Share some details about your process for creating.
GG: I recently turned my bedroom into an art studio, so now I am able to have a designated space to create in my small Brooklyn apartment. During the school year, I make art on nights and weekends, but this summer I will have lots more time, and I am so excited for that.
C+B: What is something exciting that you're looking forward to in your life or creative life?
GG: I'm grateful that I've been able to access the creativity in myself, and that I will be able to act on it forever. Creativity is innate in everyone, but programming, etc. has made it hard for most people to recognize that.
Find and support Gabriella here:
IG: @gabbygiaconia
Website: etsy.com/shop/BelleandBumble
(Untitled, 24’’ x 30’’, mixed media, ©Gabriella Giaconia)
If my work was a meal it would be: I think anything that is a process and is intentional—maybe a pasta dish from start to finish, from making the pasta homemade to selecting tomatoes for the sauce. An intentional, thoughtful meal.
I would love to be able to share my work with: Julia Cameron because her books and ideals have had a profound impact on my life.
Some creators I am inspired by: Anna Valdez @missannavaldez, @gethappymedium, Leah Kirsch @leahkirsch, Haley Bowen @haleybowenart
If I didn’t work in my current medium, I would like to try: I would love to try graffiti art or murals—I have never really worked on a large scale like that, and find it really interesting and beautiful. I think it would be a fun challenge.
My hope for those viewing my work: I hope my work makes people curious, introspective, and inspired about their own creativity. Maybe the colors and layers and shapes remind them of something from their own life that makes them want to explore.
