Rising Stars: Meet Gabi Diaz of New York

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabi Diaz.

Gabi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My parents immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador before having me and my siblings. My dad spent the majority of his adolescence in Los Angeles with his parents before finally settling down in Long Island, New York with my mom. They worked extremely hard for me and my siblings. My mom would come home in the middle of the night from grueling shifts at a bread packing factory. I remember how the smell of garlic filled the air when I hugged her. Finally, after ten years of hard work they were able to afford a house.

We moved out of my aunt’s basement and into a beautiful home. Throughout my childhood, I always drew and expressed myself creatively. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with this talent until my Junior year of High School. I started thinking about what kind of impact I’d like my art to have, and one thing came to mind, “inspire others”. It was then that I realized that I wanted to become a children’s book Illustrator so I could inspire kids with my drawings and help mold their lives. I have very fond memories of my sister reading to me and I’d love to pass that down to other children too.

I studied illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology for two years and graduated with an associate’s degree. Unfortunately, the art industry has become very hard to break into, so I’ve had to work a day job in order to sustain myself. Even so, my friends and community have supported my work. I opened an Etsy Store where I sell sculpted figurines and plushies. The product that my customers love the most are my cinnamon roll snails. They’re tiny painted clay snails with a shell that resembles a cinnamon roll. The reviews I get are just so wholesome and always make my day. Beyond my Etsy store, I’m also working on a secret webcomic project that I wish to self-publish within the next year or so, I know that one day I will achieve my dream of publishing a children’s book but for now I will focus on these small victories.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road towards my career has been a bit rough. Art school was incredibly difficult, mainly because I had to sacrifice my own well-being for the sake of getting projects done on time. After I graduated, I was met with the presence of AI generators, NFTs, and a suffering economy. I don’t believe the economy we’re currently in allows for artists to thrive. Our current economy values cheap knockoffs and stolen labor. Not only that, but people can only spend so much money these days before rent or bills are due. That’s why I’m grateful when people support me and my colleagues. It shows me that there is audience out there who truly values us. I’m hopeful that this audience will continue to grow and outshine the negative business practices that the world currently runs on.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in sculpture and acrylic painting. I think I’m most known for my resourcefulness. I didn’t grow up with much money and I also feel incredibly empathetic towards keeping the planet clean. These two qualities of mine helped me come up with a sculpting process that isn’t very common. I don’t have a name for it but, I basically create bottle bricks (plastic bottles filled with more non-recyclable plastic) and then smother the bottle brick in homemade recycled paper pulp. After the pulp dries, I sculpt over it with clay.

A majority of my sculptures are on the smaller scale so I can’t always use the bottle brick method but even then, I always try to find ways I can prevent my trash from going into the landfill. For example, I can cut objects that I no longer need and shape them into my character’s skeleton. I’ve used old pens, markers, and even bread tie twists as parts for my skeletons. It’s a small way of being kind towards the planet.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
This might sound strange but, one app that I really love is Insect ID from the Android Play Store. It’s an app that identifies bugs by analyzing your photos. I feel like people aren’t curious enough about the world around them and a good place to start would be exploring the outdoors. The Insect ID app has allowed me to connect with nature on a deeper level that I couldn’t have achieved on my own. The coolest looking bug I identified was a candy-striped leafhopper. It’s a small green insect with vibrant red and blue striped wings. Exploring the world around me in this way has not only inspired me but has made me grateful to live in such a unique world. I hope that humans learn to be kinder to the creatures around them no matter their size or their appearance.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gabidiazart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berrinoodle/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriela-diaz-3a84301b9/
• Other: https://berrinoodle.etsy.com