An Interview with Patricia Gawle from Galeria ARTE & Ceramica in Sayulita

Living in Sayulita, I have passed Patricia’s gallery, ARTE & Ceramica, many times. And every single time my eyes are drawn to the beautiful art in the windows. Today, I am meeting with the source of this inspirational art, Patricia Gawle.

I’m so happy to finally meet you, Patricia. Would you tell the beautiful people of Sayulita a little about yourself?

Well, I studied at the Fine Art at the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. In the mid 1980’s, I set foot in Mexico for the first time and wound up staying 5 years! I have been in love with the country ever since. Then I returned to Florida and had a gallery there for eight years - selling art, teaching adult art classes, and building an extensive clientele for my custom hand-painted tile murals. However, I felt it was time for new inspiration. In 2008, I moved to Puerto Vallarta and opened my gallery there. At the time I was looking to live in a much smaller town, but didn’t think Sayulita had enough audience for my work. In 2015, I checked in again and Sayulita had grown to where I thought it could support my art career. So, I began looking for the right spot for my home and gallery. In June 2017, I finally found the perfect spot for my gallery, ARTE & Ceramica, in Sayulita and home/studio in San Pancho.

Patricia, what makes you an artist?

Creating, for me, is like breathing. I cannot live without the act of creating or sharing the beauty that art brings forth. For example, when creating my sculptures, I use a natural clay that I found in El Tuito, and I dig with my own hands. It has to be crushed, sieved, and mixed with sand before it can be used for my sculptures. Learning how to make art using this pure, raw material has added an extra richness to my life and to my work. It feeds my soul and connects me to the earth. As children we wanted to play in the dirt. It’s primal and meditative and connects us to our ancestors.

What have you, and your gallery, to offer to Sayulita?

I hope a visit to my gallery gives people something to think about. I create animal and figurative sculptures where I try to capture the human experience. Most are accompanied by text that I write as descriptive and/or inspirational verse. I also create functional pieces of art for the home and garden. When I want something unique, I make it, because I enjoy living with and using hand-made objects in everyday life. It can make even mundane tasks special, and I thought others might appreciate that as well. Apart from buying art, you can also attend workshops that will awaken the artist in you.

Could you tell us more about the workshops you give?

I offer hand-painted tile workshops and clay sculpture classes. If you are on vacation and just have a week, a hand-painted tile workshop is a great class that takes only one day. If you have a little more time, a sculpture workshop is worth considering. Both workshops take place in my studio in San Pancho.

Where can we find you?

You can find my Galeria, ARTE & Ceramica, in Sayulita, just a 2 minute walk from the main plaza, on Calle Revolucion 57D.