Check out Gabrielle Maye’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabrielle Maye.

Gabrielle, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Throughout my life, both art and psychology have inspired me deeply. Only recently have these two interests intertwined. My love of art has been a constant in my life since I was a small child. I remember grabbing a stack of computer paper, and going through the whole pile, drawing on the front and back, one by one, over a long stretch of time. This enthusiasm for drawing followed me throughout my childhood and adolescence, through the uplifting and challenging times. These experiences allowed me to discover more and more about myself as a person, and I became much more introspective. However, when I was creating, I would always draw inspiration from outer beauty, and idealistic and dreamy settings, rather than from my own experiences.

When I went to university, I was blessed to be surrounded by such dedicated artists, both professors and students, that challenged me. There was a particular time I can pinpoint as being pivotal to my art making process; I took a class my sophomore year of college called Drawing Concepts by the artist Richard Ryan, and in this class, we were pushed to experiment. We would be encouraged to create a piece of artwork, destroy it, and reimagine it. We were urged to draw quickly, just past the point of being in control. In this class, I really became acquainted with my artistic intuition. I was going through a difficult time, and decided to channel this into creative energy. I began the class being timid, unsure, and afraid of missteps in my artwork, and I emerged a more fearless artist who would view mistakes as new opportunities. The following two years of university, I harnessed this new energy, and focused on productivity and experimentation. Without those years of artistic growth and exploration, I would not be the artist that I am today.

Now, I have been in a romance with creating monochromatic drawings with pen & ink. I love the process, and the duration of creating the drawing becomes its own journey. Perhaps I might illustrate something that I will decide to transform into something else, but that is all part of the experience. I have such a sustaining and meaningful relationship with my art and creative practice, and for that I am so thankful. Being an educator as well, my goal is to help others foster a relationship with their art making that is comforting and enjoyable. I know how important it is to be able to express yourself in this way and how it can sustain the spirit, even if you are your only audience.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My artwork primarily celebrates the osmosis of our inner and outer worlds, and how together they create a beautiful, mystifying reality. As my pen moves, I channel my own memories, and the beauty that has inspired me throughout the years; long journeys driving up through the mountains to Montreal, where my mother is from, the long stretches of electrical lines that we’d pass in Quebec, the hilliness and open skies of Central Massachusetts, where I grew up, and the architecture and ambiance of Boston, my home. By juxtaposing the natural with industrial, psychological and material, and the organic and geometrical, I celebrate the world around us, and our own unique lenses which shape our perception of it. And by employing the contrast of the black and white, I aim to appreciate both the darkness and the light in our lives and in our world, but above all, to embrace the beauty.

In my pieces, one will find illustrations within illustrations, and all of the imagery is purposefully intertwined. I love and appreciate the wonder and curiosity that is sparked in viewers who take time to explore some of the smaller details. Sometimes it will just be one moment of discovery that gives them a new perspective of the entire piece. I also find it deeply inspiring if something that I’ve illustrated conjures up memories for someone else. This is what it is about, sharing with each other our personal experiences and distinct outlook. It makes the world a more intriguing and wondrous place.

Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
Please don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Embrace mistakes as new opportunities, and always try to experiment with what you do. Also try to keep some of your art for your eyes only – it can be freeing, and there is so much benefit from creating just for yourself and your enjoyment.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I have a few places of online presence: my website, gabriellemaye.com, on instragram, @gabriellemaye.art, and on Facebook, Gabrielle Maye Art.

My website lists current and upcoming exhibitions. I have a piece up now called Interlock which is on display at the Boston East Gallery.

Contact Info:

• Website: gabriellemaye.com
• Email: gab.may.e@gmail.com
• Instagram: @gabriellemaye.art
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gabriellemayeart/

Image Credit:
Image Tec, Methuen, MA

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