Erik Gonzales

Region: West

Through painting I create tactile expressions of my mind and soul that have a solid permanence much like the stelae of ancient cultures. The paintings become more tableau-like than simply paint on canvas with the use of unconventional materials which gives them added weight. By exploring new materials a process of experimentation follows that often takes center stage in my paintings. My process becomes more ritualistic in nature as I create a sort of controlled chaos. Images and symbols mix and coalesce with colors and textures to show the paintings‚ history. Layer after layer is built up and then often removed to expose what once lay beneath. Much of the source imagery and inspiration for my work comes from traveling abroad and new developments in modern science. My palette utilizes an economy of color together with rich dried pigments to create visual allegories of time and myth. The heavier grounds made from powdered marble reflect weathered desert floors and old, time worn walls upon which our history is painted and etched.