top of page
The artist Gabriela Akari with works

About the artist

In search of the essence of nature

Gabriela Akari was born in the Hessian spa town of Bad Hersfeld. She studied medicine and completed specialist training as a surgeon. But after a riding accident, she found herself in a clinic not as a surgeon, but as a patient. A spinal injury then led her to rehab in Ahrenshoop, an artists' village on the Baltic Sea.

In therapy, she began painting. Because her injury meant she could only stand, she painted what she saw while standing at the easel – the sea and the bay. Through the huge panoramic windows she could watch the ocean in any weather. Sometimes the sea was shrouded in hazy gray, sometimes the sun broke through the clouds and was reflected in the waves that rolled onto the beach. Gabriela Akari was fascinated by the changing conditions of light, which  created a different atmosphere every day. She wanted to capture the nuances of light and shadow and spent hours and entire days at the easel. Nevertheless, after her recovery, she initially returned to work.

Years later, after a burnout, she finds herself back in front of an easel in rehab. Actually, she doesn't feel like it at all. But she starts anyway and paints every day. And notice how healing this activity is for herself and others. She later shows the pictures that were created during this time in her first exhibition “Colours and Sounds of Nature” in Bad Hersfeld. At the same time, she has a tapestry of natural sounds played in the exhibition room. In this way, the artist appeals to all the senses and makes it easier for the viewer to immerse themselves in the images.

The Ocean exhibition is extremely successful, Gabriela Akari sells numerous pictures. She also observes that visitors often come to the exhibition space to meditate. They feel attracted by the special atmosphere of the exhibition. The artist's works have a pleasant and calming effect on the viewer. Some people even attribute healing power to Gabriela Akari's works.

The positive feedback motivates the painter to devote herself entirely to her artistic work. She attends the International Summer Academy at the University of Hamburg. There she was a student of Bernd Zimmer, and later also at the Kolbermoor Art Academy (Bavaria) with Prof. Siegfried Anzinger. She then completes Master classes with Prof. Leiko Ikemura. The Japanese-Swiss artist encourages Gabriela Akari, to incorporate the soul of nature fully into her work. Since then, she has worked with natural materials as much as possible and thus pursues her search for the essence of nature.

Today, Gabriela Akari enjoys spending time on Mallorca. She appreciates the special light conditions - the intense, clear colors on the island. In addition, her work was featured in the group exhibition "Creativa" at the Coll de Bardolet Cultural Foundation in Valldemossa. Akari has been recognized as a finalist in international art awards several times.

Gabriela Akari with her dog on the beach in Mallorca

Here you can find the artist's work groups.

More about the artist

Gabriela has chosen the Japanese first name Akari as an artist name. The meaning is “light” or “brightly shining”. For the artist, this term stands for the light that inspired her to paint in the first place. Moreover it is a symbol for the fulfillment that she finds in art.

Furthermore it reminds her of the Japanese life philosophy of “Ikigai”.  In this the focus in life lies on the search for the personal meaning of life in the here and now and thus after a happy and contented life. Gabriela Akari has found her source of strength and confidence in painting. She would like to pass on this positive attitude.

Only the search for what inspires and drives us and enriches the lives of others can bring meaning and happiness to our lives.

Only the search for what inspires and drives us and enriches the lives of others can bring meaning and happiness to our lives.

bottom of page