Celine Gabrielle

The Importance of Being Relentless, Glamorous original XL Oil on Canvas, 2022

2022

As a child of the 80's/90's not only was Celine influenced by the bold, in-your-face neon colours, big shoulder pads and modern technology take-over, she was also greatly influenced by both her baby boomer parents and grandparents. Her vibrant works are very inspired by pop culture, fashion, style, design and architecture across many generations as far back as the 1920's Art Deco and flapper girls right through to the 2000's mega stars such as Lady Gaga and the haute couture trends of today. As a self-taught artist, Celine is influenced by the well-known artists she had access to—many who are popularized in pop culture like Tamara de Lempicka, Rene Magritte, Andy Warhol, and Pablo Picasso. Her work takes from the artist’s obsession with fashion. More specifically, fashion’s role as a form of how we tell the world who we are, or maybe who we aspire to be. In the artist’s own words, “Sometimes it speaks our culture and can connect us to a place or time in history. Sometimes it blurs the lines of all that. It always tells a story.” Celine’s work process often begins with an image or a piece of clothing that inspires her. Quoting the artist’s words, “It has to speak to me. I’m slow. I work in many layers. I start with acrylic to block in main colours and shapes quickly. Then I switch to oils. I take my time carefully studying my references and refining section by section. I love that my paintings look realistic from far, but up close as I work it's just abstract colour and shapes—like an illusion.” “I create because it’s fun; it challenges me and gives me energy. I’m a champion of colour and exuberance. I want the joy and pleasure I have making my works to go with them. Like coming home to a bouquet of wildflowers on the kitchen table¬—an unexpected pop, a wow moment on an ordinary day.”