when you smile Print

Gema was born in La Paz, Bolivia, but at eleven, she packed her bags and moved to Chicago to live with her grandmother and relatives. The goal? To soak up some English, which she did. But Chicago also schooled her in a harsher lesson—racism. Her uncle advised her to say she was from Bolivia, not Mexico, as if that distinction could protect her from being thrown into the same box as the “mojados.” How naive! To many Americans, Bolivia and Mexico blur together in a single brushstroke. After two years, she returned to Bolivia, where her stellar grades earned her a scholarship to study in New Mexico, pursuing her International Baccalaureate. It was a transformative experience; she learned much from her international peers and fell in love with art. For the first time, she tasted freedom—a feeling so new and electric that she couldn’t quite grasp it, yet it felt so right. It pushed her to confront her own identity. Back in Bolivia, she dove into architecture, discovering a newfound passion for bamboo. More than that, she unearthed a love for her homeland, appreciating not just the cities, but the soul of the countryside. Thanks to her bamboo projects, she wandered to breathtaking landscapes that felt almost surreal. After adventures in Portugal and Germany, and earning a master’s in Energy and Sustainable Building Design in England, Gema decided to settle in Germany. There, she married a wonderful German man, and together they welcomed three incredible children. Although their romantic journey took a different turn, they remain a family. In Germany, Gema has embraced her dual identity as an architect and an artist, channeling her feelings, dreams, and life experiences into her paintings. In her free time, she flows through yoga, meditates, or hits the pavement for a run or a peaceful walk.