Gabriele Ailey has explored different print media throughout her career, including intaglio; monotype and more recently wood block printing.   Profile: First Impression A is part of a series of prints that the artist did using the intaglio process.   She acknowledges that while intaglio isn't a spontaneous printmaking process, that there are aspects of the process that can dictate the direction of the imagery in the print yielding pleasantly unexpected results.   This work is part of a series of prints that were a precursor to works that she did for an exhibition at one of the Richmond Art Gallery's outreach spaces, Gateway Theatre, titled Portraits and Profiles in 1984.   The prints in that exhibition were inspired by and titled after members of her family.

Richmond-based artist and art educator Gabriele Ailey was born in Poland.   She earned a diploma in Art Education at the University of Alberta and went on to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Arts both from the University of British Columbia.   She has been a strong supporter of the arts and art education in the community and at the Richmond Art Gallery.   She served on the Richmond Art Gallery Association board of directors for a decade (1989-1999), holding positions of President, Vice President and Chair of the Acquisition and Program Committees.   She has participated in exhibitions in the Lower Mainland since 1983.