The Magic of Baja

There is an instant love for this place where the desert meets the sea. A raw energy, yet also a tangible tranquility that inspires awe and reverence. Artist Mark Gabriel moved to Baja Sur for more than just the revered quality of the light. “I had a few misconceptions about the place, and as it turned out, myself as an artist. I knew coming here would inspire a renewal in my painting, and I wanted to dig into the local folklore and find narratives in the culture that I could translate onto canvas, but I was unaware of the depth of magic I would encounter.”

A long-time salvager, Gabriel found himself collecting debris that washed up on the beaches around Todos Santos: wood that appeared to come from ruined boats, or bits of someone’s life torn away in a hurricane and then returned to shore. “I didn't realize at the time they would be so important to my growth as an artist until I started using them as canvas to paint on.”