Meet Gabby Lowery

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabby Lowery and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabby, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My thought process for starting my own business was highly influenced by my passion, community, and desire to create a positive impact for women of all generations to trust their intuition by following their dreams. For me art was a hobby, at 7 I remember entering school art competitions because I was always drawing and my teachers and peers encouraged me to submit my work. I could have never guessed that years later my hobby would become a business. I simply love creating and painting is therapeutic, allowing me to mute the world around me, process my emotions and communicate through my work. It has changed the way I view the world by giving me a lens that allows me to see beauty in things, people and environments that may normally be perceived negatively. My art has brought me closer to my community by being able to paint for them, with them and opening doors and introducing me to like minded creatives that live through their expressions. My goal is to continue to build and uplift my community to seize any barriers that prevent women and artists from pursuing their passions. Sometimes it is easier to follow a safer career even when you know it is not your true calling/purpose. However, I strive to continue to paint and create in hopes that others know its okay to take risks by doing what we love. I think it is often when we step outside of our comfort zone by walking into the unknown that we feel the most alive, aligned and make a greater impact.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets me apart from other artists is the material I use. I often use mixed media combining newspaper and oil paint to create my work. The newspaper allows me to highlight current events and information, I then paint a portrait of relevant artists on top of the articles. I use these materials and this process to create a visual aid that allows viewers to gravitate to some of their favorite musicians, artists and creatives, while reading articles that reflect themes, ideologies and topics that are/were related to their artistry. Sometimes it’s not what is being said but how you say it that truly gets the message across. Each portrait I paint is of someone that most people can relate to through their music and art. These are the people we listen to and feel a connection with even without knowing them personally, therefore, the articles become a little more interesting to viewers and worth paying attention to. The reason I use these mediums is because Art has a way of painting a picture and evoking emotions without words. While words complement art by making it clear what is occurring and the emotions that are intended to be evoked. While most of us don’t read newspapers anymore, my pieces tend to be a great conversation starter as people normally read the articles and express their feelings about the selected articles and how it relates to the artists.

How did you get to where you are today professionally?

My journey as an artist is ongoing and forever evolving, however, most of my success as a creative is because of my community. The artists and creatives I’ve met while living in Atlanta are a huge reason I took leaps of faith to share my work. Beyond the creative community in Atlanta, my friends and family in Charlotte have poured so much love, light and endless support into my journey as an artist. I am grateful for the people in my life and they inspire me to keep going everyday.

What do you want people to know about you or your brand and story?

Art is a therapeutic process allowing people to digest information and emotions. It has allowed me to learn how to focus by putting me into a meditative state while I work, which I love. When I paint, my intention is usually to find beauty in all that exists. My work is intended to explore connectivity and community even in the most tragic events that occur across the world. We are never alone and there is power in having connection and community that understands you and can speak to shared experiences and emotions. My community has always inspired and uplifted me, which is why I choose to create pieces that represent black culture. A lot of the people I’ve painted are musicians that I grew up listening to or that my friends and family really love. Each piece I create tells its own story and can be tied to the articles I select, however, it’s when I share it with the world and hear different perspectives that I truly feel my work is complete.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We’d start by heading to Piedmont Park to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the city and nature, while having a picnic in the park. If not Piedmont then it would be Chandler Park to admire the nature and walk around the trail by the lake. From there I would take my friend to Ponce City Market or Chattahoochee Food Works for great food, good people and good vibes. We’d definitely have to go to the rooftop at Ponce City Market to have some fun playing games, grab a drink and view Atlanta’s gorgeous skyline. Then we’d go to the High Museum of Art to view all the sculptures, paintings and amazing artwork. For dinner, we’d head over to Silom Sushi Bar for the best sushi, we’d have the Eye of the Tiger roll and Sea Scorpion roll, which I think tastes absolutely delicious. Last we’d finish the night at Cafe Intermezzo for a late night dessert, like their cheesecake and espresso martini.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Yes, my community is EVERYTHING. There are so many people, from family to friends that pour into my creative journey and they know who they are and how grateful I am for them. For the people I’ve met over the last 3 years in Atlanta, like Jill, who inspired me to build my portfolio and continue to develop my craft, Joshua Love, James Brown and the entire Black Girl Artshow team that continue to uplift artists and create a space for creatives like me, I am especially thankful. My entire community keeps me going by always showing love, support and seeing the vision.

Instagram: Artbyg.low

Image Credits
Black Girl Art Show