Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabrielle Alice.
Hi Gabrielle, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
From the time dogs were eye-level, I wanted to always have near me: animals and a sketchbook. Those early years were full of both — observing, drawing, painting, losing track of time entirely. In highschool I adored the pure abandon of art class equally to the rigor of my drafting classes. When it came time to decide on a university and I couldn’t see a clear path that honored that wild, curious part of me, I turned to my other obsession: the chance I had to create structures that held space and told stories without words. Architecture felt like a worthy trade.
My degree from Cal Poly SLO gave me a foundation and a launchpad. What followed were years I could never have planned: designing buildings and lighting across four countries, each one expanding what I thought was possible. I learned that a well-designed space can change how people feel without them ever knowing why. I loved that part of it.
But the animals and the sketchbook were never far.
After seventeen years in the architecture field, the math stopped math-ing: ten percent joy, ninety percent everything else. Stress, anxiety and depression had added up to confusing levels. It was time to go.
Walking away from one of the most respected and historically documented fields felt one part crazy, one part lost, and a sprinkling of alive with possibility. I had no roadmap, only a desperate hope that making art could somehow pay the bills. I found an educator who teaches artists how to build a real business and that was the unlock. I had the confidence to launch Gabrialice LLC, starting with hand-drawn pet portraits on my ipad, then expanding into watercolor and gouache paintings, gallery-quality giclée prints, cards, stickers, and wrapping paper.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I suppose I could call out relatively short smooth segments of the road but most of it was twisty, turny, and fabulously challenging. Architecture is an extremely intense, humbling grind, so switching from that to starting an art business from scratch has been refreshing but a beautiful mess of new learning curves at the same time. I learned everything there was to know about establishing a business legally, and now it’s more a focus on time management of how to balance the art making with the administrative and marketing tasks.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about GABRIALICE?
I’m Gabrielle Alice, founder and artist behind the brand Gabrialice. Gabrielle, minus the “elle”, plus my middle name Alice = Gabrialice! I am an artist driven by a deep gratitude for life and a fascination with the colors and patterns of the everyday. I work primarily in watercolor and gouache, painting emotional, nature and design-inspired pieces that offer moments of joy, stillness, and connection. My creative process is both therapeutic and liberating – there’s nothing quite like watching pigment flow through water. My work aims to inspire others to reconnect with their own inner spark — whether through a smile, a memory, or the reminder that beauty is always nearby.
Most recently I’ve worked on a series called “Chairy Blossoms”. It is an ongoing exploration composing paired chairs and florals. What began as a playful visual experiment gradually revealed itself as something more intimate, a quiet reconciliation with my past life in architecture and lighting design. Each piece is a small act of return. For years, I distanced myself from the world of structured forms that once defined my professional identity. This series marks the first time I’ve allowed those influences back into my work.
Through these watercolor and acrylagouache original paintings on cotton recycled paper, canvas, and wood board, I explore the harmony between the built and the botanical, the functional and the fanciful. Together, they tell a story of rediscovery, of finding beauty in what we once left behind, and embracing the full shape of who we’ve been and who we are becoming.
What does success mean to you?
Success is a lifestyle aligned with ease, connection, and creative independence. Creating is my therapy and liberation — a process that balances my emotional landscape and gives me back control through artistic freedom. While my work might resonate with others — especially those needing peace or a moment of lightness — it begins and ends with my own truth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gabrialice.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabri.alice.art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gabri.alice.art
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gabrialiceart
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabri.alice.art
