Originally from Mexico City, Gabriel Dawe MFA’11 was influenced by art at a young age. His trips to art classes and museums, and his particular interest in poster design and photography, led him to consider a career in fine arts after high school.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in graphic design from the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico, Dawe spent seven years in Montreal, Canada, before moving to Dallas to pursue a master’s degree in arts and technology at UT Dallas.

As a graduate student, Dawe developed the idea behind his now world-renown Plexus series, which uses thousands of strands of colored thread to show the contrast between the size of the thread and open spaces. His installations have been featured in art museums, fairs and corporate headquarters across the country, and he has completed private commissions from companies such as Facebook, Nordstrom, Capitol One and Fidelity.

In 2018, Dawe was the recipient of UT Dallas’ Distinguished Alumni Award, which honors a graduate’s personal achievements and is presented at the annual Awards Gala.