Gabriela Vascimini, Instructor
Born in Manhattan and raised in the Connecticut suburbs, Gabriela Vascimini has always been passionate about pursuing the network of stories behind each piece of art. She attended Convent of the Sacred Heart and graduated from Rye Country Day School, where she was awarded the Creative Writing Prize for her cross-disciplinary work in poetry, fiction, and art history. Now a student at Columbia University, Gabriela hopes to further explore the intersections of visual art and literature.
An accomplished visual artist from a young age, Gabriela spent most of her time at Sacred Heart in the studio. Her work was exhibited in the school’s gallery and throughout campus, for which she was given the Hannah and Ryan Barry Memorial Art Award. At Rye Country Day School, Gabriela continued to explore the arts as a graphic designer and film student. Yet it wasn’t until taking AP Art History that she truly realized the realm of the art world that captivated her most.
Whether writing an experimental pilot for a television show set in Ancient Egypt or designing a cosmetics ad campaign featuring Italian Renaissance portraiture, Gabriela found her creative niche in her AP Art History class. Her teacher lauded her ability to present antiquated material in new, exciting ways, and encouraged her to enter her poem inspired by a sculpture of Hatshepsut in the Writer’s Digest 86th Annual Writing Competition. Gabriela was awarded an Honorable Mention in the competitive category of rhyming poetry.
During her senior year, Gabriela embarked on an independent study project that entailed the creation of a full length novel. The four hundred page drama, set in New York City, details the lives of fictional art collectors and their intriguing lives. Referencing real life heists and infamous masterpieces, each extensively researched chapter is brimming with bits of art history knowledge.
The following summer, Gabriela taught American History to elementary students at the Square House Museum in Rye, New York. She led her students in activities and crafts meant to emulate the artistic style of different time periods as a way to promote a deeper understanding and connection to the historical pieces within the museum. Knowing that children learn material best when they find its presentation entertaining, Gabriela called on her background in theatre to make each lesson more captivating than the last.
Gabriela hopes to continue exploring the world of art history and archeology while pursuing her writing career as a novelist. She is currently working on a historical fiction series that aims to excite young readers about art history.