Gabriela Esquivel
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  • Animations
  • Radio Interviews
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Artist Statement

“…Colorful forms, lines, women figures and textures are combined to create art pieces that express a constant search for freedom. The paintings, video animations and music transport the viewer/listener to spaces where the skies and times are endless. The artist invites him/her to “become one with nature,  the Universe and the Light". 

Gabriela questions the systems and traditional myths and is interested in finding the Divine without necessarily practicing the rituals stated by any specific doctrine. She also defies the traditional roles of women in society, writing her own story -- a new story -- whereby the women in her paintings travel alone and unwrapped from traditional roles..."


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About the artist


Gabriela Esquivel is a Costa Rican interdisciplinary artist and author currently living in South Florida. She has lived in Germany, Switzerland, the United States, and Puerto Rico. During her fifteen years living outside of her country, she has constantly remained active as an artist.
 
She is interested in creating multimedia projects combining visual arts, music, and research. The title of her most recent project is "Costa Rica in Sound and Color," a project that includes paintings inspired by Costa Rican musicians, original songs based on Costa Rican rhythms, and music videos co-produced by Gabriela.
 
Thanks to “Costa Rica in Sound and Color,” the government of Costa Rica awarded Gabriela the title of “Official Costa Rican Cultural Ambassador.” The project also won the Creative Investment Grant from the Broward County Cultural Division, and Gabriela won the Researcher of the Year from the College of Arts and Letters from Florida Atlantic University.
 
Her previous projects, “Imagining the Sublime,” "Inner Heavens", “Soul and Mysticism,” “A Mystical Path,” “Sound of the New Sun,” and “Gardens of Freedom,” are inspired by the search for the Divine and a personal quest for freedom.
 
She has participated in several art fairs like the Florence Biennale in Italy, Art Fort Lauderdale, Miami Art Basel week, Las Olas Art Fair, and La Campechada in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
 
In 2019, she published her first children's book, Gema, the Curious Butterfly, part of an award-winning project combining literature, arts & crafts, and music. She is an active volunteer of the Neighbors Volunteer Office from the City of Fort Lauderdale and Action for Literacy non-profit organization that has the mission to help literate the children in our community.
 
La Fortezza in Florence, Italy, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, Florida International University in Miami, GalleryOne Hotel, Atlantic Hotel, Plunge Beach Resort, W Hotel, Artserve, Mass District, and 33rd Street Wine Bar are some of the venues that have presented her past projects. Botello Gallery in Old San Juan Puerto Rico has shown and sold her work since 2005.
 
She earned a BFA in Sculpture from the School of Fine Arts of Puerto Rico, a BA in Humanities from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, and a BM in Commercial Music-Composition from Florida Atlantic University. She is currently pursuing her master's in Jazz Piano Performance at Florida International University.
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EDUCATION   

2021-Present    M.M. Jazz Piano Performance, Florida International University, Miami, USA
2019-2021         B.M. Music Production and Commercial Music Composition,
                           Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, USA
2011- 2015        B.A. in Humanistic Studies, minor in Vocal Performance,
                           Interamerican University of Puerto Rico   
2005-2011        B.A. in Sculpture, minor in Film and Fashion Design, School of Fine Arts of
                           Puerto Rico
2000-2004      Studies in Business Administration and Music, University of Costa Rica
1999                   Painting and Voice lessons, Migros Klubschule, Switzerland   
1999                   Goethe Institute, Germany

AWARDS AND CERTIFICATES 

2022                   Official Costa Rican Cultural Ambassador - “Essential Costa Rica” - PROCOMER  
2021                   Undergraduate Researcher of the Year – FAU College of Arts and Letters
2021                   FAU Undergraduate Researcher of the Year Grant
2018-2019           CIP Grant – Broward County Cultural Division, Fort Lauderdale, USA
2020                    CIP Grant – Broward County Cultural Division, Fort Lauderdale, USA
2019                    Self-Published Author – Gema, the Curious Butterfly
2015                    X Florence Biennale, Florence, Italy      
2015-2016           Art Basel, Miami, USA 
2005                      The Dean’s List, USA

MUSIC

2023            "GrammyU Mixtape, New Year It's Poppin, Spotify Playlist, Recording Academy Grammys -
                      Grammys on Spotify
2023             FIU National Anthem Singer - Women's Basketball Game, FIU vs FAU, Ocean Bank Convocation    
                      Center, Miami, Florida, USA
2022              FIU National Anthem Singer - Graduation Ceremony, Ocean Bank Convocation Center,
                      Miami, Florida, USA
2022             "Voces del Periodismo Awards" - featured artist singing songs from Costa Rica and Ecuador, 
                      FIU Wolfe University Center, BBC Campus, Miami, Florida, USA
2022              FIU National Anthem Singer - Men's Basketball Game, Ocean Bank Convocation Center,
                      Miami, Florida, USA
2022              FIU Miami Guitar Orchestra, featured artist singing songs from Costa Rica and Ecuador, 
                      Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music and Performing Arts, Miami, FL, USA
2022              FIU National Anthem Singer - Graduation Ceremony, Ocean Bank Convocation Center,
                      Miami, Florida, USA
2022             "The Summit: cello composition ft. cellist Itzel Manon", Student Art Gallery, FIU Graham Center,
                      Miami, FL, USA

2022             FAU Composers Concert ft. cellist Dr. Jason Calloway, Boca Raton Museum of Art, Florida, USA
2022             FIU Big Band Concert, Wertheim School of Music Theater, Miami, Florida
2021              Music Videos Drop, Plunge Beach Resort, Lauderdale by the Sea, FL
2020             Costa Rican composer's presentation, Composition studio of composer Kevin Wilt, Florida
2020            “The Summit”, online multimedia project with cellist Brent Charran, Florida
2019              Official drop of Gema:  song of children’s book Gema, the Curious Butterfly. Available in
                       English and Spanish on all social media platforms.
2018              “Butterflies for Puerto Rico”, online international musical-artistic-social project,
                        Puerto Rico - Florida


INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS 

2022           "Los Colores de Miami Exhibition", Consulado General de México, Miami, Florida, USA
2022           "Los Colores de Miami Exhibition", Consulado General de Colombia, Miami, Florida, USA 
2022           "Los Colores de Miami Exhibition", MIFA Gallery, Miami, Florida, USA
2022           "Sister Cities - Friendship Month Exhibition", Fort Lauderdale City Hall, Florida, USA 
2022           "Inner Heavens", Graham Center Student Art Gallery, Florida International University, Miami, FL 
2022           "Artist Reunion Show", Plunge Beach Resort, Laudedale by the Sea, FL
2022           "HOME", GalleryOne DoubleTree by Hilton, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2021            "Costa Rica in Sound and Color", Plunge Beach Resort, Lauderdale by the Sea, FL
2020             Botello Gallery, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
2019            “Spectrum” Exhibition, Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, FL
2019            “Art Fort Lauderdale Art Fair”, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
2019            "Florida International Trade and Cultural Expo", Fort Lauderdale, FL
2019             Jazz in the Pines, Live Painting Exhibition, The Frank Art Gallery, Pembroke Pines, FL            
2018            “Soul and Mysticism”, Solo Show at Artserve, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2018            “Garden of Freedom Exhibition”, 33rd St Wine Bar, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2018             Botello Gallery, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
2018            “Art at the Convention Center”, Florida International Trade and Cultural Expo, FL     
2018            Art and Soul, Business for the Arts of Broward, Double Tree by Hilton, Fort Lauderdale
2018            Pop up Exhibition, The Frank Contemporaries, Pembroke Pines, Florida
2018            Art Fort Lauderdale Fair, Florida
2018            The Studio in the Living Room, W Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
2018            Las Olas Art Fair, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 
2018             “Live Painting at Light Up the Galt, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2018            “Live painting at Jazz at the Pines”, The Frank Contemporaries, Pembroke Pines, FL
2017            Galeria Rancho Santana, Tola/Rivas, Nicaragua   
2017            Painting exhibition, “Imagining the Sublime”, Village Design Art Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
2017            Village Design Art Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 
2017            Botello Gallery, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico 
2016            ArtBox.Gallery, Art Basel, Miami, Florida
2016            Galeria Rancho Santana, Tola/Rivas, Nicaragua   
2016            Botello Gallery, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico 
2015            Contemporary Art Projects, Art Basel, Miami, Florida  
2015            Florence Biennale, Florence, Italy  
2014            Botello Gallery, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico   
2014            Painting exhibition, “From the Mystical to the Abstract”, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico  
2011            “Spiritual Cell Performance”, National Gallery, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico    
2009            “Thanatos and Narciso”, Performance with Ballet Concierto of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico 
2004-2003    Painting exhibition, Lafise Bank, San José, Costa Rica.   
 
BOOK RELEASE AND BOOK SIGNING EVENTS
 
2022             “Action for Literacy Day”, Joseph Carter’s Park, City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida   
2022             "Gema, the Curious Butterfly" at Action for Literacy Day, Joseph Carter Park, Florida
2020             “Gema, the Curious Butterfly” Kids Show and Workshop, Butterfly Festival, Coconut
                     Creek, Florida
2020             “Gema, the Curious Butterfly” Kids Show and Workshop, Jack and Jill Children Center
                     Fort Lauderdale, FL
2020             “Gema the Curious Butterfly Book, Official Online Release at Amazon,
                      Barnes and Noble.com, Walmart.com 
2019             "Gema at Barnes and Noble", Book Store in Plantation, Florida, USA
2019             "Gema at Museum of Discovery and Science, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2019             "Gema at Ghosts in the Garden", Miami Beach Botanical Garden, Florida, USA
2019             “Gema, the Curious Butterfly” Book Signing event, Tommy Bahama, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
2019             “Star of the Community”, Annual Career Day, Endeavour Primary Learning Center,
                     Lauderhill, Florida
2018             “Gema, the Curious Butterfly”, Starbucks, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2018            “Gema, the Curious Butterfly”, YMCA Family Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2018            “Gema, the Curious Butterfly”, YAA Art House, Sistrunk, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
2018            “Read-A-Thon, LA Lee YMCA Family Center”, Neighbor Volunteer Office, Fort Lauderdale
 
MUSEUMS, MURALS, AND PUBLIC ART PROJECTS
​

2018        “Ride Over the Rainbow”, street-mural, MASS District, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 
2018        “The Tarpon’s Dance”, Little Library Project at Hardy Park, City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida 
2018        “Genii Loci”, Artist Assistant of 1.2 mile long “road tattoo”, street mural at Rosemary Av.
                 Palm Beach, Florida
2017        “Open Canvas Project”, Murals in Andrews Av. Fort Lauderdale, Florida 
2015        “La Campechada dedicated to Rafael Ríos Rey”, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, PR
2014         “La Campechada dedicated to Myrna Báez”, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, PR    
2013         “La Campechada dedicated to Rafael Tufiño” , Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, PR

LITERATURE AND REVIEWS  

JAN, 2023      "GrammyU Mixtape, New Year It's Poppin, Spotify Playlist, Recording Academy,
                         Grammys on Spotify
NOV, 2022     "Wonderful Fusion Between Visual Arts and Music", Doral Arts and Beyond, Radio Interview at
                         Doral Voice, Miami, Florida, USA 
SEP, 2022       "Embajadores Marca País, los representantes de llevar el talento costarricense a nivel mundial",
                         Periódico La República, Costa Rica
AUG, 2022      FAU Alumni Spotlight, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Boca Raton, Florida 
APR, 2022       Stories and Insights, "Meet Gabriela Esquivel", CanvasRebel Magazine, Miami, Florida
DEC 2021        “El Chinamo”, Costa Rica TV Show, Teletica Canal 7, San Jose, Costa Rica
NOV, 2021      Meet Gabriela Esquivel, Open Radio Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
NOV, 2018      "Meet Gabriela Esquivel in Fort Lauderdale", Voyage Miami Magazine, Miami, Florida
DEC, 2017       Midtown Miami Magazine, “The sublime state of painter Gabriela Esquivel”, Miami, Florida
SEPT, 2017      Go Riverwalk Magazine, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 
DEC, 2015       Contemporary Art Projects USA Catalogue, Spectrum, Miami   
NOV, 2015      “Artistas en Florencia”, Periódico Índice, Puerto Rico   
NOV, 2015     “Arte, conciencia  y alegría en la Campechada 2015, UPR-Dialogo, Universidad de Puerto Rico  
NOV, 2015      “Reconocen su trabajo artístico”, El Nuevo Día, Flash y Cultura, Puerto Rico  
OCT, 2015       Florence Biennale Catalogue, Italy    
ENE, 2014       “Las Zonas Limítrofes y espirituales en la pintura de Gabriela Esquivel”,Puerto Rico Art News
SEP, 2013         Galenus Magazine, Puerto Rico   
JUL, 2009        El Nuevo Día, Puerto Rico  
FEB, 2005        Imagen, San José Costa Rica  

VOLUNTEER  ACTIVITIES  
2018- 2020       Volunteer Artist for Children’s Literature Program - Neighbors Volunteer Office,
                            City of Fort Lauderdale
2017- 2018         Volunteer Artist for Salvation’s Army Redesign Bash - Salvation Army of Broward County
                            City of Fort Lauderdale
 
PERMANENT ART COLLECTIONS  

New York Private Collection, USA
Fort Lauderdale Private Collection, USA
Costa Rican Private Collections, Costa Rica
New Jersey Private Collection, USA
California Private Collection, USA   
Puerto Rican Private Collections, Puerto Rico
W Hotel Paintings Collection – Fort Lauderdale, USA      
Puerto Rican Painting Collection” Interamerican University of Puerto Rico  
Latin American Art Collection, Galenus Magazine, Puerto Rico
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Hours

Monday-Sunday:
7am - 9pm

Telephone

786.582.9042

Email

gabrielaesquivelart@gmail.com
© Copyright 2004, Gabriela Esquivel, Inc. All rights Reserved.
No part of the paintings, videos,  book or of the character Gema, the Curious Butterfly may be reproduced in any manner what soever.