12/08/2026
Today we'd like to celebrate the life of one of our much-loved Create artists, Gabriel McBryan.
Gabriel attended Project Ability's Saturday art classes for over a decade. He was a dedicated, talented and creative artist whose warmth, enthusiasm and love of making art brought so much joy to everyone around him. Gabriel very sadly passed away earlier this year and is deeply missed by his artist friends, tutors and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
As part of our Young Talent exhibition, we've created a special display celebrating Gabriel's artistic achievements, featuring a selection of the beautiful artworks he created over the years alongside photographs shared by his family.
Gabriel's parents have also shared these touching words about what Project Ability meant to him:
"Saturday mornings mean different things to different people. Gabriel’s Saturday mornings were all about Project Ability and having a smile on his face as the gang in the studio guided him to create incredible works of art. He loved the social aspect, too. Each time, when he arrived and saw all the familiar faces he’d gotten to know over the years, he beamed and his weekend was off to a flying start.
At the age of six, the age at which his older and younger brothers first laced up their boots and began playing in junior football teams, Gabriel first clasped a brush and began his own Saturday morning tradition. Some might well argue that, on average, he scored more winners than they did, with an astonishing array of genuinely beautiful works. Family and friends clamoured to have one to hang in their own homes. And they weren’t just being nice.
The pieces he created, some of which you can see here today, gave him an immense sense of satisfaction. He was rightly proud of the paintings, prints, drawings and ceramics that Project Ability allowed him to bring to life. He would arch his back and let out a squeal of joy when people praised his work, and you realised the magic being performed by this charity that could help a boy with such profound challenges do so much."
If you'd like to honour Gabriel's memory, his family have kindly set up a fundraiser in support of Project Ability. Every donation will help more children and young people discover the same creativity, confidence and sense of belonging that Gabriel found in our studios.
https://localgiving.org/fundraising/Gabriel-McBryan-Memorial
