Renowned Artist and Folklorist Maria Carmen Gambliel Passes Away at 79
Maria Carmen Gambliel, a renowned artist, printmaker, and folklorist, passed away on May 24, 2025, at the age of seventy-nine. Born in Brazil, she dedicated her life to supporting and promoting artists of diverse backgrounds.
Maria Carmen's journey began in Minas Gerais, Brazil, on June 11, 1946. She moved to the U.S. in 1981, earning her MA and MFA in printmaking at the University of New Mexico. There, she met her husband, biochemist Hervé Gambliel. Before settling in Boise, Idaho, in 1995, she co-founded the Casa Litográfica and taught at the Escola Guignard in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
In 1997, Maria Carmen became director of the Folk and Traditional Arts Program at the Idaho Commission on the Arts. She held this position until 2005, supporting artists of various ethnic backgrounds, refugees, cowboy poets, and folklore artists. Her impact was profound, leaving a lasting legacy in Idaho's arts community.
Maria Carmen is survived by her husband Hervé, son Pierre Gambliel, and brothers Renato and Pedro Rodrigues Pereira. A celebration of life will be held on August 19, 2025, at the Basque Center in Boise, ID, honouring her life and contributions to the arts.
