ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

 

Gabrielle Strauss’s engaging work invites viewers into her rich images and draws the audience into their dance of colour, light and form.

 

Born in Austria near Vienna, the artistic and intellectual legacy of that land shaped her childhood.  Gabrielle became involved in various art groups after moving to Vancouver, Canada. After re-establishing herself in this new country, she was finally able to pursue her life-long dream of an artistic career.  

 

Her early formal training in oil and other mediums provided a solid foundation for further development. Studying the techniques of her mentor Robert Genn, and other established Canadian artists, Gabrielle began developing a looser and freer style.  Her curiosity now leads her to explore many techniques and methods, all of which percolate through her vast body of work. For Gabrielle, the process of creativity is an adventure in states of joy. 

 

As an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists , Fraser Valley Chapter , the Langley Arts Council and the Fort Langley Artists Group, she has exhibited in over 50 group and solo exhibitions and has been accepted into numerous juried shows. Her work has devoted followers and collectors throughout Canada and Europe and the United States.

 

Today, Gabrielle focuses on commissioned house and floral portraits and teaching intuitive painting, mixed media and other techniques year-round. 

 

 

ARTIST STATEMENT

 

My paintings are created with the intention of inviting the viewer to join in my adventure.   I express my urge to dig in and create with great excitement through my love of art.  

 

I now work predominantly in acrylics.  The speed of execution coupled with my commitment to bold, vibrant colours and textures allows me to physically keep pace with my lively internal dialogue.   

 

I am thrilled when people study my work and see things in it that I wasn't conscious of while creating it.  My paintings reveal and explore mood, emotion, and my colourful mindset.  Having grown up on the shy side, I find that painting allows me to share my lively, explorative side with others more easily. 

 

Much of my work brims with whimsy and flair, from my quirky critters through my wonky houses to trees dancing in their Fall colours.  I love making people laugh and exercising my own sense of humour. 

 

Thank you for viewing my art.

 

"Art is standing with one hand extended into the universe and one hand extended into the world, and letting ourselves be a conduit for passing energy"  Albert Einstein

 

"Paint as you like and die happy"  Anthony Hopkins

 

 AWARDS

2021 First Place Jurors Choice Award, Aldergrove Fair Days Photography contest 

2020 Third Place Award, Aldergrove Fair Days Photography contest

2016 First Place Award Surrey Christmas Card Competition

2015 First Place Award Surrey Christmas Card Competition

2014 Second Place Award Surrey Christmas Card Competition

2014 Second Place Award Art O' the Green, Semiahmoo Arts

2012 Award of Distinction, Oil&Water, Southdelta Artists Guild, BC

2012 Honorable Mention - Just Birds - Surrey Arts Council

2011 Jurors Acceptance Award - Langley Centennial Museum/Hooves, Ploughs and Planting Fields

2010 Honorable Mention ArtsPacific, Delta Arts Council

2010 TB Bank Master's Award, Oil&Water, South Delta Artists Guild BC

2009 First /Second Place and people's choice Face painting award /Olympia, Washington

 

SELECTED SHOWS

2024 Inspirations /Fraser Valley Federation Chapter/juried

2024 Several Shows with Fort Langley Artists Group at Olde Library Space

2023 Pop'd Arts Show/Fort Langley Artist Group Ft.Langley

2023 Square Foot Show

2023 West Fine Art Show/Langley

2022 Pop'd Arts Show with Victor Gligor/Fort Langley

2022 Our World in Color/Duo show with Victor Gligor

2022 Bloom/Federation of Canadian Artists/Granville Island (juried)

2022 The Power of Color/Fraser Valley Federation Chapter (juried)

2022 Beautiful Places/Langley Arts Council (juried)

2020 - 2023 FLAG Season

2020 Behind the Scenes Langley Arts Council

2020 Pushing the Boundaries/ Fraser Valley Federation Chapter (juried)

2020 Floral show Langley Arts Council

2020 Shades of Blues (juried) Fraser Valley Federation Chapter 

2020 West Fine Art Show

 

2019 SAC Christmas Card Competition

2019 Blending Tradition with Innovation (juried) Fraser Valley Federation Chapter 

2019 Ten Squared Federation of Canadian Artists (juried)

2019 Anonymous Show North Van Arts Council (juried)

2019 Incognito Show Langley Ats Council (juried)

2019 Oh Canada Federation of Canadian Artists (juried)

2019 Peninsula Studio Tour

2019 Ft.Langley Jazz Fest

2019 Arts Alive

2019 FLAG season

2019 Blending Traditions with Innovations Place des Arts (juried)

2019 AIMAE  Federation of Canadian Artists (juried)

 

2018 Anonymous Show (juried)

2018 Pensinsula Art Studio Tour and FLAG season

2018 Incognito show, Langley Arts Council

2018 Arts Alive

2018 Go Figure Federation of Canadian Artists (juried)

2018 Bloom! show Federation of Canadian Artists  (juried)

2018 FLAG Season

 

2017 Incognito show, Langley Arts Council

2017 Arts Alive

2017 Bloom! show Federation of Canadian Artists - Granville Island (juried)

2017 FLAG Season

 

2016 Incognito show, Langley Arts Council

2016 Oxygen for the Soul, Abbotsford Hospice, selected artist for permanent fixture 2015 Surrey Art Gallery/SAGA

 

2015 Federation Chapter show Place des Arts (juried)

2015 12x12 show Semiahmoo Arts

2015 Township of Langley

2015 Langley Art Crawl

2015 Vendel Arts Festival - Dancing Firs B&B

2015 Tuscan Farm Gardens - Abbotsford

2015 Art in found spaces Township of Langley Civic Facility

2015 Leigh Square Community Arts Village, Poco - Federation Chapter show (juried)

2015-2007 “Oil&Water” - South Delta Artists Guild, Delta (juried)

 

2014 Surrey Arts Council Christmas Card Competition

2014 Solo Exhibition - Sunflower Cafe, Crescent Beach

2014 Solo Exhibition - Irina Bartnik Notary Public

2014 Group Show at Fort Langley Studio Gallery

2014 Fall Market - at the Loafing Shed - Group show

2014 Fall show at the ACT - Federation Chapter show, Maple Ridge (juried)

2014 Langley Art Studio Tour participant - Backyard Vineyards Winery

2014 Art Oʼthe Green - Semiahmoo Arts (juried)

 

2013 Ten Squared - Federation of Canadian Artists, Granville Island (juried)

2013 Langley Art Studio Tour

2013 My world in Color - solo show at Good Day Sunshine Cafe, Surrey

2013 Mission show - Federation Chapter show (juried)

2013 Semiahmoo library - solo show

2013 Art Squared - New Westminster

2013 Semiahmoo Arts - Federation Chapter show, White Rock (juried)

2013 4 Women 4 Stories - and the stories continue - South Delta Artist Guild

2013 Just dance - Newton Cultural Centre (juried)

2013 Landscape Show Federation of Canadian Artists - Granville Island (juried)

2013 Adventure Show - South Delta Artist Guild

2013 Celebrating Structures Tall and Small - Surrey Arts Council (juried)

 

2012 4 Women 4 Stories - South Delta Artist Guild, Tsawwassen

2012 Federation Chapter Show - Surrey Arts Council (juried)

 

2011 Abstract Show - Federation of Canadian Artists, Granville Island (juried)

2011 Small Picture Show -Federation of Canadian Artists, Granville Island (juried)

2011 This Earth of Ours - Federation Show, Place des Arts, Coquitlam (juried)

2011 Autumn Show - Federation Chapter Show, Surrey Arts Centre (juried)