Joshua Gabriel is an Afro-Caribbean contemporary painter born in Barbados and based in Edmonton, Canada. Born in Christ Church, Barbados, he relocated to Canada at the age of four, carrying with him fragmented yet vivid impressions of Caribbean light and landscape that continue to shape his visual language.

Largely self-taught, Gabriel began painting at twelve after receiving a small paint set from his grandmother during one of her visits from Barbados. What began as daily experimentation evolved into a disciplined practice driven by intuition and an early sensitivity to color. By sixteen, he was actively attending art events, building a presence within his community, and pursuing his work with professional intent. After selling a painting internationally, he recognized his practice not merely as a passion, but as a platform to create impact and establish a lasting artistic voice.

Drawing inspiration from artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet, as well as contemporary Black artists, Gabriel works primarily in acrylic while incorporating gouache, watercolor, oil pastels, and mixed media. His process has evolved from fast, expressive execution to a more deliberate and layered approach, allowing space for reflection within the work itself.

His paintings explore nostalgia, distance, and emotional atmosphere — often reconstructing Caribbean coastal imagery from memory and imagination rather than direct observation. The beach, once experienced more through photographs and stories than lived memory, becomes a symbolic space of longing, warmth, and inherited history.

Gabriel has exhibited at Edmonton City Hall, the Art Gallery of Alberta, and in Fort Saskatchewan, in addition to showcasing work in local cafés and public spaces. He produces original works, prints, and commissions, collaborating with collectors to transform personal memories into intimate visual narratives.

As his practice continues to evolve, Gabriel is expanding beyond distant Caribbean memory to explore childhood experiences in Canada, seeking to create work that is both deeply personal and widely relatable. His ambition is to see his paintings live in homes and public spaces where atmosphere, memory, and identity quietly shape everyday life.