2024 YEAR IN REVIEW

Photo by Olive & Oak Photography

Every year brings about its ebbs and flows. As a creative business owner, my time and energy is split between creating, marketing, and operations. Juggling these multiple responsibilities can be tricky to navigate and creates a lot of pressure, especially in the social media age where everything feels sped up.

I felt a lot of that pressure in 2024, but at the same time, I had so many opportunities to create some extremely meaningful pieces of art. As I reflected on last year, I realized how many blessings there were. At the time, I didn’t realize just how beautiful the year was!

Take a look at my 2024 projects, process, and artwork, and as always, reach out to me if you’re interested in creating custom artwork.

JANUARY

A blue, gold, and grey triptych painting commission.

I had the opportunity to create this custom 3-piece painting for a couple who has followed my art for several years. We first met when I was doing a stand at the Wissahickon trail entrance. They have collected several pieces of my art and reached out because they wanted to add the finishing touch to their master bedroom with a custom ethereal painting. A few months later, they welcomed their first baby! I’m so honored that my work can be a small part of their beautiful home as they grow their family.

Here’s their abstract commission hanging in their bedroom.

FEBRUARY

When I first heard this song, I cried. In many major world religions & spiritual belief systems, love and marriage (as we know it) is written to exist only for our time here on Earth. That’s what my sister, musical artist Melanie Herrera, explored in her song “Long Enough.” As she was writing it, an image of a pink sky with stars kept popping into her head. She commissioned 2 paintings to commemorate the song, which I titled “Long Enough I” and “Long Enough II.” “Long Enough I” is the album cover.

Here is “Long Enough II”:

Both “Long Enough I” and “Long Enough II” paintings are available as fine art prints. Visit my print shop to view all prints.

“I realized when I came to think of it like this I found myself intensely emotional – because the truth is, despite all of life’s ups and downs – when it comes to love? It will never be Long Enough.” - Melanie Herrera

MARCH

“I’m speechless. It’s absolutely beautiful.”

These were the most encouraging words from Amber when I sent over photos of the first draft of her painting. This painting captured her childhood backyard and all the details that make it so special, including the little beer stand her dad built on one of the trees and the yellow swing she grew up swinging on.

Amber holding her custom painting in her backyard. It was such a meaningful experience to work on this piece.

APRIL

In April, I launched my brand design, which I had been working on for several months with Amarie Lael Design. I also did a brand photoshoot with Olive & Oak Photography. It was amazing to be able to express my vision and dreams as an artist through design & photography.

Read more about my artist mission here.

I thought long and hard about what I wanted my Hannah Gabriela Art tagline to be. Through my paintings, I love the idea of capturing both the pure physical forms and shapes that exist in nature—like the way a tree branch bends—AND the spiritual, ethereal essence within all things. That’s how I came up with “paintings that blend organic form with ethereal essence.”

APRIL

The idea of “home” is on my mind & heart so often. I love the coziness, sense of belonging, and beauty we can create through our homes. In April, I offered “Abode,” a collection of fine art prints paired with dreamy frames to make your space feel more like a home.

Pictured here is an art print of “A Multitude of Skies,” which is available in my print shop.

I adored pairing this print of “Era of Poetic Majesty” with such a beautiful, antique gold frame.

MAY

The paint drips of this abstract commission in process are so luscious IMO.

A client reached out looking for a custom 3-piece painting to complete her foyer, which she said felt plain and needed “a pop of color, but not too colorful.” We decided to make it an earthy abstract, which had just the right amount of vibrancy.

Pictured here is the earthy triptych painting commission I created for her entryway foyer.

JUNE

In June, my print shop (re) opened, and my new website went live! I’ve offered prints before, but they’re all new & improved now. Creating prints involves getting high res photos, editing the photos, and testing them to ensure they look great. It’s an intensive process, but being able to offer prints is important to me because it gives more people an opportunity to collect and hang artwork in their homes.

The first prints I launched!

JULY

In July, I prepared to paint a new collection about ra running loop that’s near to my heart. Having ran competitively growing up and into college, running has helped shape me into who I am today. I chose to focus this collection on a 5-mile route I used to do when I lived in Lancaster several years ago. It was a time in my life when I was going through a major bout of anxiety and indecision, but this running loop always gave me solace. I visited Lancaster County, journaled, and took lots of photos.

Preparing for my new collection

Studies for the new collection

AUGUST

My collection started to take shape. I reflected on all those times I used to run this loop. I remembered how it gave me a sense of childlike joy, and I channeled those feelings into the artwork.

Here, I was painting “Sprawling Fields II,” which sold at the Lancaster Fine Art & Craft Show. However, prints of Sprawling Fields II are available.

I also wanted to challenge myself with this collection. While I often paint from imagination, this time I used photos from my running route to work from. It’s easy to find yourself pulling from other artists’ styles you love when working from imagination, but I felt that working DIRECTLY from my source would help me create as authentically as possible.

“Something Pure" in progress. This painting has sold but is available as a print.

SEPTEMBER

Finally, my collection was ready to release into the world! “Along the Way” is a collection of 9 original paintings which explored the serene landscapes of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

I thoroughly enjoyed painting this collection (and all the “research” in the form of long Lancaster bike rides and runs that I got to do as part of the process).

Here’s a little snippet from the collection write-up:

As vibrant hues and warm sunlight emerge, momentary glimpses of beauty and hope come into focus, energizing us to continue on. The weight of knowing outcomes, and the lure of reaching the end, soon fade away, as we behold what awaits us along the way.

“Homeward Glow,” a sunset painting from the collection is available. View “Homeward Glow” here.

SEPTEMBER

My childhood friend called me a few weeks before we left for Ireland. Her baby was due to come in October, but she was dreaming of having a mural in the nursery before her arrival. She is one of my oldest childhood friends, practically family. We had to make this happen! Over 40-50 hours, I painted this mural to add to the storybook theme of the nursery.

It was an incredible honor to paint this for such a dear friend and contribute to creating a room of creativity and inspiration for her and her husband’s first baby.

OCTOBER

3 paintings of mine—“Beloved,” “Heavenly Realm,” and “Winter Snow”—were featured as part of Joyfully Said’s winter collection, “A Quiet Hallelujah,” which launched in October. They are available through Joyfully Said as beautiful prints on wood. The company sent me samples of my work prior to the release, and you can see my reaction here on Instagram of when I first opened them!

You can shop prints of these pieces on Joyfully Said’s website. The original paintings of “Winter Snow” and the green abstract, titled “Heavenly Realm” are both available through my website.

NOVEMBER

Ashley reached out looking for a 25th anniversary gift for his brother and sister-in-law, who got engaged in Yafo, Israel. Ashley envisioned a sunset painting that captured the historic charm of Tel Aviv-Yafo and the wonderful, end-of-day sense of contentment. Earlier this year, Ashley offered me entrepreneurial advice, so it was a joy to keep collaborating with this meaningful gift.

Yafo, Israel at sunset.

DECEMBER

I love winter—the fresh chilled air, the coziness, the stillness. Over the past few years, I turned that love into tons of hand-painted wood slice ornaments. When it came time to work on ornaments this year, I realized I had already painted over 50 scenes over the past few years—scenes that were too good not to share again! So, to cap off the year, I took my favorites, turned them into canvas prints, and framed them in elegant gold.

These were some of my favorite ornaments to date! I loved the gold frames.

Thank you.

Upon reflecting on 2024, it’s so clear how life and art intertwine so deeply—how art gives us a way to cherish the moments and people that mean the most to us. We reach for art when words aren’t enough, and life becomes more beautiful when we do. Thank you for the chance to celebrate this life with you through painting.

Photo by Olive & Oak Photography

If any of my 2024 projects sparked your imagination or gave you an idea of a custom painting, I’d love to chat with you. Reach out to me below: