Gillian Probert

Background

Born with a creative and entrepreneurial spirit, I began selling my artwork at the age of nine. I would craft pencil toppers for my classmates, draw sketches of passerbyers, and make small clay creatures, selling them wherever I could: at soccer games, birthday parties, and on the beaches of San Diego, where I grew up.

My commitment to art deepened at High Tech High Media Arts, a project-based school where I gained experience in exhibit planning and collaboration. By fifteen, I was working as a professional henna artist at Belmont Park, and during that time, I also painted five murals across San Diego, exploring color, scale, and shared space.

I went on to study Visual Arts and Management at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, on a near full-ride scholarship. There, I also minored in Entrepreneurship and Leadership Studies, preparing me to navigate both the creative and business sides of my practice. While at Eckerd, I founded a collegiate chapter of Artists for Impact, mentoring fellow student artists and organizing events to support local nonprofits. After graduating with high honors, I joined the organization’s board.

Since then, I opened a studio at The Factory, exhibited across Florida, and was named one of Florida CraftArt’s Emerging Artists in 2023. That same year, I was featured twice on ABC News for my community-focused projects. I joined Duncan McClellan Gallery and quickly fell in love with glass. I began learning glassblowing, curating exhibitions, and managing major sales.

Today, I’m focused on developing a cohesive body of work alongside my passion projects: a line of hand-carved glass vessels featuring my original iconography, a children’s book, modeling, and experimenting with ceramic sculpture.

While my long-term goals continue to evolve, one thing remains clear: I was born to be an artist, and I am grateful to follow my passions in my day-to-day life.