A bright light went out in the world. He left in peace, with a smile on his face and a legacy rich in art, service, & love…although for those of us in relationship with him, it’s hard to imagine that it ends here.

Gabriel Mott  was intimate, he showed up for the tough conversations, & for many of us, he was one of the safest relationships we’ve ever known. He was beautiful, magical, uniquely & powerfully himself. He was fun AF, teasing dance and movement from the grumpiest of places. He existed in dimensions all his own. He was an artist, but his life was art. The way he spoke, loved, showed up, & stayed curious. The way he moved and spoke was a painting.

He was deeply loved & his absence will change us. And, if he has anything to do with it, hopefully it will bring us together. 

-Lacyeloo Winkelpleck

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Personal Note from Gabe's Brother Che

We All Love Gabe.

by Che

What a sturdy, thoughtful, true human Gabe was.

The rush of memories. What would another 50 years with such a guy in the world have brought?

Gabe was born at Group Health hospital in Seattle in 1972.

His extended family in the US lived like the four other points of a star in Santa Barbara, New York, Michigan and Florida.

When he was two, my parents took us to Cannon Beach, Oregon, for the summer and we ran a kite shop. We each took nicknames. Gabe was "Millard", our Dad's name, I was "Whale", my Dad was "Ralph Kite" and my Mom was "Monica". We'd run on the beach, make sandcastles and fly Dragon kites made of mylar that would sparkle in the sun. We met a family, the Lecalfs, who were artists, built their own house and lived a Bohemian lifestyle there. Behind the town was a forest where we imagined Christopher Robin lived with Winnie the Pooh and their crew.

Once in school back in Seattle, Gabe was a latchkey kid -- like me - and learned to be independent early. We moved from Madrona to Laurelhurst mid-way through his first grade. Gabe was a thinker and had fun with friends. He played the saxophone. He liked Lemonheads.

Gabe started a neighborhood newspaper, and was my boss (I was a journalist, and had to go out and write articles Gabe thought were on useful topics since I couldn't think of anything). We started a restaurant together in the fort in our backyard -- no one came, but he made it real and fun.

When we were in Junior High, Gabe wrote a letter to Bill Gates asking for a job. Microsoft ended up inviting Gabe for a tour of their Redmond campus - I came across Microsoft's letter while going through Gabe's apartment this past week. After the tour, Gabe still chose to do his own thing instead of following that route. Gabe had many on-ramps to a traditional life but at each fork he'd follow his own way - often after deep reflection.

Each summer growing up we'd fly to Michigan out on our own and spend three weeks with extended family in Lake Odessa. Gabe and I would sleep in a tiny cabin on Lake Jordan at the edge of our Grandparent's backyard. Where fireflies would zip around and stars littered the sky. Gabe also often spent time in New York with family with an artistic bent, where he was exposed to Keith Haring.

Gabe's family lineages were from Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, England and Poland.

Three Smith brothers immigrated Michigan in the 1860s from Stuttgart - a region of Germany known for its industrious-ness. A friend of mine recently told me about the Swabians of that part of Germany: "If a Swab starts plowing a field at dusk, by sunrise the work is done." The Smiths for several generations ran a grain elevator business connecting local farmers with the Chicago commodity markets & handled the logistics. Gabe was likewise obsessed with community work, and was stubborn and worked on his projects with extreme competence.

The hugs and emotion-on-the-sleeve might have come from our Dad's side of the family. Gabe's Grandmother Jess cared about her kids finding happiness. Our Dad would remind us how she'd ask him as an adult if he was happy. And knew that she didn't care about any status symbol or job success but simply being happy was the thing.

Gabe had lots of younger cousins to spend time with on those balmy Mid-western days. Later in life, when Gabe became an Uncle to my three children, I could see his knack for relating to kids. While he never had kids of his own, Gabe was trusted by his friends and was part of their families. He treated kids as equals. He was a good listener and could speak without lecturing, making him a great teacher.

In High School, Gabe was one of the bright guys in his class. He built on his aptitude for reading - he liked the book "The Great Brain" a story about a mischievous boy on his adventures. Between his sophomore and junior years, Gabe was accepted to a special program at Exeter college on the East Coast for exceptional intellects. He pressed people to go beyond the predictable to the "roads less travelled". He was a truth seeker and liked going outside his comfort-zone.

Gabe liked sports. He and I played Lacrosse together at Green Lake, Seattle's only public school team comprised mainly of guys from Garfield and Roosevelt, two rival high schools. We liked taking on the private school teams like Lakeside, Blanchet and Mercer Island like the Bad News Bears. We took pride in holding our own and more. After one good season we drove to the water's edge of the Lake and jumped in fully clothed.

But Gabe’s real sport passion was basketball and his skills kept pace with his height. He played at the dunk hoops at Laurelhurst School with his friends, and hosted the Mott Tourney making hilarious videos on the UW campus when editing video could only be done using special equipment. I really was afraid to step on the court, and lose to that guy, once he reached his full glory 6' 3" 200 pound frame.

His love for playing basketball deepened after college he went to hike and live in Cambodia. Our Dad had been in the Peace Corps after college, so the idea of going overseas seemed a right of passage. Gabe taught English there and this week we stumbled across an old cassette with his students in Phnom Penh singing the 70s track 'Free to Be You & Me'.

Gabe played with the Cambodian national team on a regular basis. There were six courts in the entire country, most without nets or indoor lights, and before he returned home he wrote a full page letter to Nike telling them all the reasons to sponsor the team.

Gabe revered Oak-town native Gary Payton. Like all true Seattle-ites he was heartbroken when Howard Shultz sold the Sonics down the river in 2006. Gabe even did a 6 x 6 foot painting of a give-me-the-lane move of Gary, in his edgy painting style. Along with the Cherish Tree - a collaborative painting Gabe made with dozens of contributors around 2003 -- Gabe loved that piece of work. He eventually gifted Gary back to the streets of Oakland in a Zen moment, leaving his coveted portrait against a fence a mile or so from where Gabe made his final pass last week.

At Roosevelt High in his senior year, Gabe was voted “most likely to become a billionaire”. We’d all agree he delivered on that promise, in areas of service, the spirit, color art, local activism like The City Eats food kitchen for Oakland's unhoused population (you can make a donation on this website if you like), and love -- in equal doses.

Gabe rarely had an attitude towards others; unless he saw a principle out of whack or something unjust. That is consistent through his life. And he could walk with someone in their shoes without judgement or giving them fear of violation. Gabe was sometimes introverted, felt alone. But he never stopped 'seeking' truth and authenticity in his half-century. Connecting, giving and bonding with his community.

At Berkeley Gabe took three classes with a world renowned thinker and writer named Huston Smith. If you want to know what made Gabe tick, read this guy or watch a video (I picked one video linked below this post). Gabe eventually created his own major with honors in interdisciplinary field studies, Social Theory and the Consequences of Modernity. He joined Delta Gamma Phi and we've seen many great pictures of Gabe enjoying himself. And others enjoying being with him.

For his thesis class towards the end of his college years, one of his classmates recently noted that Gabe had done his thesis on "Nihilism in the African-American community", and that his selection of topics gave the rest of his classmates solace that there was meaning in their work.

Gabe was always ahead of his time.

He was a VP in his early 20s at one of the leading web metrics analyst firms in San Francisco, where he worked with one of his Seattle buddies. Gabe made the big bucks of the intoxicating Silicon Valley siren, but opted for other wealth.

We've all seen his color-oriented art work, taking the theory of a school of thought he learned from Dick Nelson in Maui-- but translating it into digital form with the color box and Huedoku. He gave his heart and soul to Maui for ten good years, and the Source community where he blossomed as artist of this digital age.

Gabe broke his neck on a random dive into too-shallow water at the beach. One of his Maui friends was sitting on the beach at that moment, and happened to be on the phone with his father -- an ex paramedic. With care and exactly the right techniques, they drove the 45 minutes along winding roads to the hospital, cradling Gabe's head as he sat in the passenger seat.

Gabe managed to work his way back to health -- both physically and mentally. That was 2013...so we were blessed with ten more years with Gabe. After only 2 months of recovery, Gabe can be seen in videos helping to organize Source, Maui's version of Burning Man and would bring his color box installations to the heart of these creative festivals. Friends of his this week have talked of bringing back Source next year in honor of Gabe, for anyone who'd like to experience that.

Gabe rebounded to the point he could still do Capoeira, which he loved. He had two bolts in his neck the rest of his life.

Gabe joined the Maui Startup Accelerator "Blue Startups" with his mobile app Huedoku, a mobile color game and in May 2016 Gabe came to Amsterdam to launch in Europe. It was great irony that the town I lived in was the birthplace of one of Gabe's favorite painters, Piet Mondrian.

While in The Netherlands, Gabe was introduced to the curators of art at several of the Dutch museums like the Stedelijk Museum, Rijks Museum and Van Gogh Museum. He held a small exhibition of his art in our town.

I still have the posters on my bedroom wall from the launch, one with Van Gogh's self portrait and the provocative statement "Do You See The World Like Van Gogh?" Gabe was on a mission to help others see the world with the eyes of an artist.

After returning full circle to the Continent, and re-entering the Bay Area a decade older. Gabe completed his Hero's Journey.

Gabe more recently was showing his creativity through video and business development with his friend and owner of MVP studio.

When he passed away last week, we can all say he had mastered this world, his own fears and stayed true.

I am so grateful to Gabe for the love and mentorship he gave to my kids. Uncle Gabe was a gift to my kids Vincent (15), Alisha (17) and Liora (19). They had such a warm and positive relationship. And for me as his Bro, Gabe was always there when it mattered. We didn't censor ourselves. How lucky I was. Of course it's perhaps not fair to our parents, who love him so much, but we all recognize that Gabe lived a good Life.

I was hoping for at least 30 more years with him. But no, we got what we did. And now we will hold him in time as he remains what he was -- a person who could reach depth in all sorts of areas.

Gabe was found by his dear friend Max after not showing up for work.

Gabe was found looking peaceful, in his bedroom. Max said Gabe was on the floor of his bedroom, laying down on his back with his legs against the wall. And a Personal Training plan next to him on the ground. He looked like he was warming up for exercise. We are checking toxicology reports and did a full autopsy, and whatever we learn we will share transparently with you.

Gabe was energized, had projects he was working on. He was volunteering with food distribution once a month without fail.

If, like me, you can’t seem to get enough of Gabe at this moment. If you will miss Gabe’s warm shoulder or quick smile, below are some websites and works of Gabe’s. We'll post a lot of archival stuff - writings, videos, whatever. You can share your Memories of Gabe on this site.

Last month with my kids we drove from The Netherlands to the Ardennes Forest in Belgium. The Mayor of a town called St. Vith, famous for the largest battle of WW2 called the Battle of the Bulge, invited our family to join them for the 78th Remebrance. You'll not be surprised to learn that Gabe's Grandfather Larry was a war hero and Major in the 14th Cavalry. The 14th Cavalry defended what is know as the "Loshiem Gap" in the Winter of 1944. This 5 km corridor was the route used in the opening incursions during WW1, WW2 and the Prussian wars. Larry was plugging that Gap and protecting our liberty.

Gabe was made of the same stuff as Larry. Gabe is also a Hero, defending the metaphoric Loshiem Gap in our current times. Helping us create the world we want to live in -- where bonds in community are reinforced, authenticity and truth are defended, equality between people realized. Facing down fears we have - within ourselves, or from outside. Thanks Gabe for being such a Righteous Dude.

I have no doubt, your friends and family will do what we can to carry forth that Legacy.

Hugs and Heartfelt Thanks

Your Brother Che

Gabe's 3 Jan post on medium on Huston Smith's Last Word

https://medium.com/@gabemott/…

Gabe's Teacher Huston Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch…

https://www.gabecolors.com

https://www.visionthrucolor.c…

Gabe's Posts

https://medium.com/@gabemott

FB

https://www.facebook.com/gabe…

Twitter

https://twitter.com/gabemott

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/gab…

LI

https://www.linkedin.com/in/g…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabriel Mott, 50, of Oakland, California, passed away January 12, 2023.

He was born in Seattle, Washington on May 2, 1972, graduated from Roosevelt High School in Seattle, and received a Bachelors degree from University of California, Berkeley.

He had a passion for Art and social justice; he spent his life creating relationships for truth and beauty. See the following link for more information:

https://www.gabecolors.com

https://www.visionthrucolor.c…

https://www.facebook.com/gabe…

https://twitter.com/gabemott

https://medium.com/@gabemott

https://www.instagram.com/gab…

https://www.linkedin.com/in/g…

https://apps.apple.com/us/app…

https://apps.apple.com/us/app…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He is survived by his dad Millard Mott, his mom Bonita Smith Mott in Green Valley, Arizona and his brother Christopher Smith Mott in Amersfoort, The Netherlands

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/gabriel-mott/obituary/

Copy