GABRIEL LEHMAN Despite a fondness for drawing as a child, Gabriel’s dyslexia presented mountainous challenges throughout his school career, leading him away from college and into construction. After spending over a decade in flooring, his joints began to feel the toll of physical labor, and he realized he needed to change paths before the damage was too severe. He prayed that his purpose would be revealed and turned back to his childhood joy of art. Gabriel tried drawing, quickly realized it was a perishable skill, and turned to the brush. Although he had never done much painting, he immediately felt a connection to the medium, and decided to explore it. He took a full run at painting, living out of his car on the beach in Wilmington, North Carolina, and painting on anything he could find. He created his own rules, his own world, and his own style that he has dubbed “illustrative surrealism”. He has since moved back to his home state of Indiana where he enjoys painting, woodworking, cooking, and playing and writing music.