We’re looking forward to introducing you to gabriela domville. Check out our conversation below.
Hi gabriela, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
When I’m in the studio, immersed in creative flow, I completely lose track of time. I can spend hours painting or making collages, enjoying the process without even noticing the hours slip by. Some days are slower, but when I’m creating, I enter a joyful zone where I reconnect with myself. And once in a while, when a song on the radio makes me dance around the studio in pure silliness, I find myself again in those playful, happy moments—and I truly love that sensation.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Gabriela, though most people call me Gabi. I was born and raised in Mexico City and now live in California with my husband and daughters. Creativity has been with me for as long as I can remember. As a child, I was always building, sewing, and experimenting. One of my earliest memories of feeling like an artist was around age eight, when I built a Barbie house out of cardboard boxes and wallpaper scraps with my brother, who later became an architect. By my teens, I was sewing my own clothes and taking drawing classes, which set me firmly on a creative path.
My artistic practice today is a reflection of the worlds I inhabit—rich in culture, layered in memory, and always evolving. Deeply inspired by my Mexican heritage and the places I’ve traveled, my art is a vibrant fusion of color, texture, and memory, rooted in emotion and guided by intuition. The warmth of Mexican traditions, folk art, and landscapes is ever-present in my work, often woven with subtle influences from other cities, markets, or natural elements I’ve encountered along the way. Whether it’s a sun-faded wall in Oaxaca or a fragment of vintage paper found in a Paris flea market, each element I collect carries a story waiting to unfold.
I often work with mixed media—layering paint, fabric, found objects, and aged materials to create compositions that honor the imperfect, the worn, and the forgotten. Themes of resilience, femininity, and transformation flow through my work, drawn from both personal experience and collective memory. Ultimately, my pieces are more than objects—they are offerings: moments of stillness, echoes of memory, and a reminder of the beauty in imperfection.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
My parents were my greatest teachers. They married young—my father studied medicine while my mother continued her education during pregnancies. My father became an OB-GYN, working tirelessly and showing up for patients at all hours. My mother never stopped learning, eventually earning multiple postgraduate degrees. Their discipline, resilience, and commitment taught me the value of showing up fully, doing things right the first time, and never giving up.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes, many times. Being an artist is never easy. It requires discipline, resilience, and navigating challenges like social media, which can take away from the magic of creating. There have been moments when I considered walking away, but I always return because my passion is stronger than my doubts. No matter how discouraged I feel, I can’t imagine a life without art—it always pulls me back.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I am committed to repurposing and recycling materials in my art. My goal is to raise awareness that not everything needs to be disposable. Even small actions—like bringing a reusable mug, choosing organic coffee, or reducing waste—make a difference when multiplied over time. Through my work, I hope to encourage people to make more mindful choices that contribute to environmental preservation. This commitment to ecological consciousness and sustainability is one I will never abandon.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I am definitely doing what I was born to do. I was encouraged to follow medicine like my father, but I knew it wasn’t right for me—I fainted at the sight of blood! My true path has always been creative. Even as a child, my best grades were in art and design, and I felt at ease when making things with my hands. Creating gives me peace, joy, and connection.
I also have a particular way of noticing beauty in overlooked details—weathered walls, urban textures, colors layered by time. Friends tell me it’s a unique gift, and I’ve come to see it as something I was born with. Art allows me to share that vision, and I feel blessed to be living in alignment with what I was meant to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gabrieladomville.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabrieladomvilleart
Image Credits
Chrome
