Gabriel has made his living growing vegetables on his family’s organic vegetable farm. He became interested in Art by watching his uncle, Armando Lopez draw, paint and make sculptures. Armando encouraged Gabriel to begin making Art and told him that with practice, he could make whatever he wanted. While the fields lay dormant, Gabriel filled the winter months with learning how to make art.
Gabriel’s imagery comes from his imagination, his dreams and stories from his childhood in Santa Maria, Mexico. Gabriel spent much of his time while growing up learning how to care for the family’s crops and animals. Gabriel regularly draws and paints images of farm-life and rodeo depicting horses, bulls and the danger and excitement of bull-riding.
As a child, Gabriel escaped into Nature by himself to explore and play. His family referred to him as, “el nino salvaje” (the wild boy). From these experiences, he developed a sensitivity and respect for the magic of the birds, flowers and animals he encountered. Many of his images today depict a relationship with the natural world that includes an element of magic.
