Gabrielle O’Flaherty

Gabrielle O’Flaherty was born and educated in Waterford, Ireland, later continuing her studies in England and the USA. She now lives with her family in San Diego, California. She is passionate about writing, travel, and nature, and is an accomplished artist and sculptor. “The Night of the Red Tide” is her first published book, an illustrated adventure story written over a two-and-a-half-year period during the COVID pandemic. The idea for her story came to her on a magical night while watching an astonishing red tide, when the breaking waves were shining bright bioluminescent blue.

Is there a work of art that you love. Why? Have you ever visited it in person?

While living in Paris, and on my travels later, I loved to visit the Rodin Museum on the Left Bank and see his sculpture “The Thinker”.  Seeing this giant bronze male figure is forever embedded in my mind. When I later took up sculpture, I created my own variation of “The Thinker” on a much smaller scale.  My version is a female figure in bronze that I called “Contemplation”.

Two other works of art that I fell in love with are Botticelli’s paintings “Spring” and “The Birth of Venus” that I saw at the Uffizi Museum in Florence.  I have used images from these paintings on some ceramics that I created.  I used the image of his Three Graces from “Spring” on a pair of Etruscan-style ceramic vases, and the image of Venus’s with her long, flowing hair on some large ceramic plates.

Do you have another artistic outlet in addition to your writing? Do you sew? Paint? Draw? Knit? Dance?

I have always loved to dance, and still attend dance classes when I can. I have seen many dance performances in theaters over the years.  One of my favorite dance groups is the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York.

I have sculpted impressionistic female dancers using an armature and melted wax, later cast in bronze.  The wild poses were modeled on works by the Italian sculptor Nuccio Fontanella.

What piece of clothing tells the most interesting story about your life?

My apron makes me feel close to my mother, recalling childhood celebrations at birthdays and Christmas. When we had birthday parties at our home in Tramore, by the sea in Ireland, my mother with her rosy cheeks and big smile would don her apron and bake beautiful cupcakes that she filled with crushed strawberries and topped with whipped cream.  At Christmas, my mother always seemed to have her apron on, while stuffing the turkey and preparing all the trimmings, just as I do today. My youngest daughter also loves to wear aprons.

Do you collect anything? If so, what, why, and for how long?

With my husband, I have collected small antiques over the years, mainly on trips to England. I especially like antique jewelry, silverware, perfume bottles, and vases.  Finding beautiful historic pieces can be great fun. One time in London, on Portobello Road, I found a Victorian wash basin set made in porcelain which I still have today.

We also collect small white stones while walking on beaches.  We call them “moonstones”.  We have thousands of them in our small garden.  Most of our collection is from local California beaches, but we also have some from Ireland.  When you hold a nicely rounded stone in your hand, the effect is very calming.

What brings you great joy?

Many things bring me joy, especially these:

Watching a sunset over the ocean.

Waking up in the morning to hear the birds singing.

Tending to my little flower garden, and seeing the buds progress into flowers.

Spending time with my children and their pets.

Making an Indian curry and sharing it with my family as we sit around the dining table.

Riding in a fast car.  My most exciting ride was in an Aston Martin as we sped around the race track in Snetterton, England.