Testimonies

“I was initially introduced to Gabriel, during high school, by an advisor from a program I was in. My counselor had informed him that I was interested in art and theatre and he kindly took me under his wing. He gave me a tour of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival production facility and after a few brief conversations offered me a position as a production Intern through the scenic mentorship program, which I gladly accepted. As a young person of color coming from a low-income background where I was not offered opportunities like this before it meant a lot. Gabriel did everything to make me feel comfortable in this space and to acquaint me with the other production workers at OSF that I would be working alongside. He was always kind, welcoming, and patient. During my time as an OSF production intern I learned so much about what a scenic artist does and was taught a great amount of what it takes to be a scenic artist. I came in with little to no art experience and during my time there I assisted in the creation of multiple theatre sets.
Gabriel has taught me the bulk of what I know about Art. During my time as a production Intern He took the time out of his day to teach me not only about scenic art, but also about the basics of classic drawing and painting. He taught me how to draw from life and showed me many essential drawing techniques and practices. Through Gabriel I was also able to learn airbrushing which was important to the scenic art at OSF, but he also allowed me to use the tools to practice and make my own work. Once my position as production intern had expired, Gabriel taught me everything I know about oil painting, which is now my favorite medium, from his personal studio.
Before I met Gabriel, I had never seriously considered a creative career path, because the background I come from is something that is not seen as viable. He showed me that there is room in this world for creatives of color and it is not something that has to be seen as a distant dream. I am now preparing to transfer to the University of Portland to complete a BFA in Graphic Design. I am also working on personal art projects and photography. I am thankful to have had such an inspirational figure in my life during a difficult time for me, and if not for Gabriel I do not think I would be where I am today pursuing what brings me joy.
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“I met Gabriel Barrera at a Career Fair offered by the university I am attending, and offering workshops to further develop one’s skill with scenic art. At the time I was unable to attend his workshops, but luckily for me the next time we met he offered me a great opportunity to improve my artistic skills. With his support I became a production intern at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) which allows me to work alongside of him and other scenic artists. While being an intern and having Gabriel Barrera as my mentor, I am taught how to access different resources to help build new skills. I am receiving an incredible amount of support from him and increasing my confidence along the way. Throughout this internship Gabriel Barrera is helping me challenge myself within my art while aiming to create a more diverse environment. Creating a diverse and more inclusive environment is another passion which we share, and I hope to learn more from him.
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“Gabriel Barrera and the Scenic G mentorship program has been a great source of career possibility enlightenment for others and me in the community. Coming from an art background I felt that not many creative careers were present in my community but Scenic G opened my eyes to the possibilities not only in this area but also around the country. It also gave me an opportunity to gain professional development in the field of scenic art and further develop in diversity, equity and inclusion work. This program has helped shape who I am today and has motivated me to continue the cycle and give back to the community. This program has the strong potential to motivate and inspire more youth to follow creative fields and have hope in succeeding in life.”

“I am a 24 year old scenic artist from Los Angeles, CA who has been drawing for many years under the guidance of many talented individuals and mentors. Throughout my life I have encountered many extremely gifted artists who have not only graciously shared their artistic knowledge with me but have also shared philosophical wisdom with me. One of the most impactful mentors I’ve met in my life who has- in my opinion- molded me into the artist I am today. My introduction Gabriel was brief but would soon later prove to be one of the most significant checkpoints in my drawing career. In November of 2015 I met Gabriel by attending a recruitment class he hosted to bring talented artists aboard his team in Oregon and give them the opportunity to not only gain beneficial experience but become paid scenic assistant’s. After meeting and discussing with Gabriel he saw potential in me and gifted me the opportunity to show my artistic skills off at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Though grateful for the experience he provided, I believe the characteristics and mentality Gabriel revealed to me is what I am most appreciative of. From understanding my artistic boundaries and repeatedly exceeding them to learn certain aspects of being a leader such as being punctual to every occasion. I have adopted many positive traits from him. During the time I met Gabriel in 2015, I was very closed minded in which type of art I wanted to produce or even attempt, but through his guidance I realized I had a passion for scenic art as well as becoming open to challenging myself with different forms of art. Gabriel kickstarted my scenic art career and has helped me achieve an occupation I am not only proud but passionate about. By putting my skills to productive use I believe I am benefiting and influencing my community in a positive way. In the near future I aspire to mentor and impact other artists lives just as Gabriel has done for me and also to pass down the wisdom from previous generations to keep art alive. If not for Gabriel I believe my life would not be as prosperous as it is today.
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“Before the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the extent of my training as a scenic artist was limited to a small summer stock in Michigan and the short two years I had been in college; while both of these places had given me great counsel and opportunity, there had been something missing from my experiences in theatre. It wasn’t until the summer of 2013 that I would have the incredible opportunity to work with Gabriel Barrera and participate in the FAIR program at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival that things clicked into place.
By the time I attended my assistantship through the FAIR program at OSF, I had been living in America for almost six years. I had become involved in theatre production in high school to take advantage of an opportunity I would’ve never gotten in Mexico. I stuck to it all four years through two different high schools, but I was of one the only people of color in either department. Following high school, I applied and got accepted into a conservatory for theatre arts where I would once again be the one of three
people of color in the program. At my first summer in college, I was hired as an intern
in a small theatre in a beautiful Michigan town; I was, however, the only person of color. 

When I arrived to my assistantship at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, I was incredibly excited to meet that the other FAIR members, who, like me, were also people of color. For the first time, since I had first gotten involved in theatre, I was seeing people of color share success stories, struggles, advice, inspirations, and their culture. It was very inspiring to see young artists and people well into their careers showing incredible ambition and tenacity. In my experience, the FAIR meetings were filled with discussions about race and gender that I had never had with other theatre artists before; this was what had been missing.
Gabriel is an amazing artist, talented and driven, dedicated and lively; he was the first scenic of color that I had ever worked with. For the first time, I was looking up to a mentor who shared an essential characteristic with me. He was welcoming and kind from the beginning; as an artist, Gabriel took me seriously regardless of my experience or my age, something I had never experienced before. He encouraged me to work harder and gave me a safe environment to learn from my mistakes. In the shop, Gabriel trusted me with tasks that other mentors and supervisors hadn’t trusted me with before; this gave me confidence in my skills, I was ready to prove to myself that I could take on these new responsibilities. When it came to learning from mistakes, Gabriel was very patient and understanding.
Theaters and youths all over the country would benefit from leadership from Gabriel because he knows important it is to create diversity and inclusivity in theatre
December 26th, 2018
production. Gabriel is an exceptional example of how a position of leadership and power can be used to see positive changes for our youth. He understands the disadvantages that youths of color face in our industry and he actively works to better those odds through his own teaching and using resources like the FAIR program and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Gabriel became an inspiration to speaking up when it came to issues of race and identity in the following years of my career. I learned from him that it was equally important to involve allies in our conversations; I have upheld these ideas since my time in Oregon, and I apply them at every theater, shop, and company I work for because I would love to help pass on opportunities like the ones I was so grateful to have gotten.
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“I came into the OSF scenic art shop having very minimal experience with large scale scenic painting, but having Gabriel as my mentor through the FAIR program was a true blessing. He, along with his team, was incredibly patient and took the time and energy to nurture me. He saw major potential in my abilities and did not hesitate to continue to let me grow. Upon seeing my growth in his shop, Gabe also learned to trust my skills which gifted me with a massive amount of confidence. It also gave me a sturdy foundation of both artistic skill and resilience.
Not only has Gabe nurtured my scenic painting abilities, but has also encouraged me to find my voice within the theatre world, especially as a woman of color. He continues to support me in my desire to bridge my integrity as an artist with my integrity as a human being; even from a distance, Gabe challenges me to do better by simply leading by example.
Oftentimes, I find myself feeling doubtful of my young and emerging career, but then I remember how much someone like Gabe truly believes in me and it gives me the courage to continue to pursue what I love.
What FAIR and Gabe have given me is an understanding that my life within the arts has trajectory and major value. Without my FAIR experience, I would absolutely not be where I am today, standing proudly with an MFA in Scenic Design, a full time job, while still finding time to freelance design and assist. I’ve come out of this program with a network of support – that I can confidently turn to – that I don’t think I could’ve found somewhere else.

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