D'Abreau's magic on canvas

D’Abreau describes her art as bright and colourful, as well as stylised, in that elements are exaggerated and sometimes abstract.

She noted that her Caribbean roots are evident in her use of colour, but her art has an international appeal as the content is not specific to any one thing or place. “Sometimes it could be whimsical and other times it could be dark, depending on the piece,” she explained.

D’Abreau’s favourite medium is acrylic paint on canvas, not only because the colours appear bold, but because she paints using a lot of layers and acrylic dries quickly.

However, she also occasionally works with watercolour in conjunction with pen or colour pencil on watercolour paper.

She said that, as a child, she was inspired by fantasy art and books. They fuelled her imagination and kindled her desire to pursue art as a profession. “Because of my enjoyment of fantasy, I really wanted to take my illustrations to children’s books.

However, the avenue for illustration locally is very very limited.

Also, interests change over time so eventually I changed my style, but it is still an influence in my work,” she said.

In addition to her usual art, D’Abreau also has a collection of more localised items.

This collection highlights local landscapes, scenes, landmarks, beaches, pan, and more on 3x4 to 9x12 canvas or canvas panel, and greeting cards. However, larger versions can be commissioned.

“It’s aimed at the general public.

It’s targeted to individuals and for gifts. The idea behind it is to make art accessible because not everyone can afford a $1,000 painting.

It still has my quirky wonkiness about it but it’s more realistic in that it replicates something you see in real life,” she noted.

D’Abreau told Newsday her family has always been supportive of her pursuing art. Therefore, they were excited for her when she won a National Scholarship to study at St John’s University, New York, where she studied for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from 2006 to 2010.

“I studied illustration, which is a more commercialised art intended for books and publications. Even my work that is intended for exhibition has an illustrative quality about it.

It has become my style over the years,” she noted. Because of the scholarship, she had to return to TT to work after receiving her degree.

She worked as an art teacher at a secondary school, then helped run several programmes at the Ministry of Arts.

“I always wanted to come back home even though I wasn’t sure about employment. However, with the scholarship, they help place you, otherwise I would not have known where to start. It was great because it put me into the working world, and gave me the time to figure out what my next step would be,” she said.

In 2012, she decided she wanted to work for herself. Unsure about financial security as a painter, she focused on graphic arts. She had used graphic programmes for personal projects as well as liaised with designers at the ministry, so she used this experience and decided it would be her main source of income.

“I would do small jobs and eventually I had enough confidence to say, between the graphic work and painting - I had one solo exhibition, called Herstory, in 2012 - I think I could make something for myself,” she said. She also had four group exhibitions, three in 2013 and one in 2015.

In January 2013, D’Abreau registered her business, Gabriella D’Abreau Visual Arts. “I realised it is important, as an artist, to not depend on one thing as a source of income, so I found multiple avenues within the field to sustain myself – exhibitions, selling at art markets, art parties, and now teaching,” she said. D’Abreau began teaching adults in July of this year alongside Nimah Muwakil- Zakuri, curator at the Money Museum and Art Collection, Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago.

The three-week programme for adults was called “Intro to Visual Arts as a Creative Business” and was in partnership with the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts’s Technical Camp.

She said teaching adults was something she wanted to do for a while but got wrapped up with income- generating activities. “For a while I had said I wanted to teach adults but I just wasn’t sure of the avenue. Then, randomly, this year, someone contacted me with the opportunity to send in a proposal to the ministry for the Technical Camp. The timing was perfect.

Things just lined up,” she recalled.

At the moment, D’Abreau is working on a collection for the annual Bits and Pieces Christmas Market, which usually takes place in November at the MovieTowne Banquet Hall. The collection of miniature paintings include prints of her work, and her localised collection. She is also considering facilitating a workshop on acrylic painting for people looking to learn the medium as well as another, smaller workshop on the Business of Art. The workshop, she said, would be very practical and would include how to create a portfolio, how to exhibit, how to create an artist statement, how to market your work, and how to create a business plan.

For more info: email gabrielladabreauvisualarts@ gmail.

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