Gabriel Akre (b. Lansing, MI, USA 1998) is a sculptor and painter currently based in Florence, Italy. In his sculpture, Gabriel is inspired by the Classical period, the Renaissance, and the great French academics of the 19th century. He uses the figure as his subject and aims to capture that life-giving quality that exists between Creator and creation. Influenced by both the Romanticist and Impressionist movements, Gabriel’s paintings aim to emulate those atmospheric and expressionistic qualities, giving high attention to the molding of light and color above all else. Additionally, his work takes on qualities of the sublime and he uses fantastical, invented imagery to investigate that unique experience.

In 2017 and again in 2018, Gabriel traveled throughout Italy to study sculpture, painting, and art history, which had a significant impact on his artistic trajectory. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting at the Herron School of Art + Design in Indianapolis, IN in 2020. Gabriel is set to complete the full time Sculpture Program at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy in spring of 2024.

Instagram: @gabrielakreart