Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriela Gamperl.
Hi Gabriela, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Switzerland which gave me a great base for my creativity.
We moved to Florida in 1994. The kids and family kept me busy for many years, however, I always love to paint. Did some projects here and there. Finally, I decided to take a watercolor class, which ended up being a drawing and sketch class, since they didn’t have too many signed up and this was the best thing that ever happened to me in my journey to create art. I learned to draw realistically and tried out different mediums. For a while, I painted in pastels and colored pencils until I fell in love with acrylic.
My artistic career started when the Broward School system started to eliminate the art classes in the schools. This made me so sad and I started to promote art and share my idea of creating art with the community. On a mission to bring art into our community in any kind of art form. For a couple of years, I was in charge of the program, Meet the Masters. We volunteers brought in 30 mins. program to the schools and talked about famous artists and created an art project with the kids. At least, the kids had a little art in their lives.
While promoting art, I started face painting to see, if I can find another way to bring art into the community. And then my co teacher, Debbie Rollo and I had the idea of creating a free art program for Middle school students which combined fine art with classical music… Love4Arts was born in 2016 and used to be sponsored by the Deerfield Beach Cultural Committee for all those years.
While teaching art, I learned a lot about how important it is to connect with people through art. Love to create art with the community. I was asked in 2019 to design a mural for the teen center in Deerfield Beach with the intent to have the teens help me paint the mural. What a great project this was. So proud of all the teens and their achievements. Since then I create a couple more murals throughout the city.
In 2019, the Deerfield Beach Historical Society was able to extend their location and we created another museum in our town. We have now the Butler House and our mid-century museum which opened in 2020. I got hired as their art curator for their gallery. In 2020, I started to be in charge of the artists coming into our gallery and setting up their shows. This opened up another window into the art world and brought the goal to have more art in our city so much closer.
I’m very involved in our city and always concerned about our community’s well-being. Since I was able to see that art helps my students and myself so much to just feel better and feeling more relaxed, I was looking for a way to help our community in another way through art and came across Art4Healing, which is a guided abstract art workshop painting your feelings and letting go through art. In 2020, I got certified as an international art4healing facilitator and now holding workshops throughout Broward County for young and old.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was not a smooth ride, however, I started to just let go and things are happening slowly. The challenges are still the financial support and finding the right circle of people.
Also to learn to have patience, which was very hard for me, since I want things to happen right away. Working with others to make the vision come true got easier to do too. Being consistent and just seeing the results is what keeps me going and colors are slowly flowing into our town.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I used to paint this and that and finally realized, I want to paint something I love and get good energy from and I started to paint our Deerfield Beach Pier.
For a couple of years, I’m painting our pier, small big, colorful, or just very simple. Trying to bring the peacefulness of the ocean to somebody’s home is so important to me. Slowly, we are also creating more murals in our town. Bringing colors into our community to brighten our daily lives.
Also once a month, I teach an intergenerational en plein air workshop at the Deerfield Beach Historical Society Museum and Cultural Center and also holding an art4healing workshop once a month to help our community. The students feel the love I have for art and teaching others to learn to be more creative.
I’m very proud of being part of keeping the arts in our town. Establishing our mid-century museum and being able to share my passion for art with my students. To see how happy and confident they are to create with me. The students feel the love I have for art and teaching others to learn to be more creative.
My upcoming projects involve murals, teaching classes, and creating art with the community. Bringing more colors into our town.
Do you have any advice for those just starting?
I would say…. just find what you are good at and love to do and follow the path it will create for you.
It took me years and years to let go and don’t be so precise. I love realistic art and for many years everything had to be just “perfect” in my eyes. Still I’m very hard on myself and find always something I could have done different. However I’m learning every day to just let go a little more and trust in myself and others and create our vision together..
Keep your mind open to new things. The more you let go the easier it will get.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabrielaart4healing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GabrielaArt4Healing/
Image Credits
Tamara Fogel – @Pineapplecoastphotography
