Gabrielle Tesfaye is an interdisciplinary artist versed in painting, animation, and interactive installation. Tesfaye is raised in the US as a first-generation, to an Ethiopian father and Jamaican mother. Her research is rooted in the African diaspora, ancient puppetry practices and cultural storytelling. Tesfaye obtained her BFA in Painting and Animation and Peck School of the Arts and MFA in Design at VCU Arts Qatar.