A Cursed Blessing: How Art Saved Sean Gonzales By Eliseo Garcia
Sean Gonzales with his work
The Curse of 2020 and How Art Got Sean Gonzales Through a Pandemic
“Art is something I never grew out of,” Sean Gonzales said, his arms, tattooed like a canvas. “It was something I always liked to do. Some kids like to play sports, I would doodle. In school, most guys played football; I had notebooks full of drawings.” Gonzales, a truck driver by trade living in west Texas, worked long hours for days on end. He lacked motivation, and the long days stole the wind from his creative sails. He daydreamed at work, wondering what was next in his life. During the pandemic, his work hours were cut, and like many people, he had trouble with bills and rent. Gonzales was given the option of a voluntary layoff. With his children away at college he was alone. “I would start to miss my kids. I would go through little rough patches, fall into depression and stay in bed locked away in my room.” While the pandemic was a curse, it forced Gonzales to do what he had always dreamed of doing. The once-trucker turned to art, and he found that creative desire again in his hometown of Clinton, Oklahoma. 22 f e a t u re
The Blessing
Influences and Pop Artists
Gonzales’ children, who are his biggest critics and artistic guides, could visit more frequently after the move. “I like that my kids will give it to me raw—they don’t sugar coat; they don’t hold back,” said Gonzales. “During the pandemic, I rediscovered my love for art.”
Gonzales attributes cartoons, Star Wars, and comic books as early influences. He was also fascinated by his uncle Adolfo’s detailed artwork. As a collector of Topps Garbage Pail Kids trading cards, Gonzales once wrote Topps with examples and ideas of new characters. Someone from Topps wrote him back and told him they loved his ideas, but Gonzales thought because of child labor laws, they couldn’t employ him as an artist.
After battling his panic and personal demons, Gonzales moved back to his hometown of 20,000 people, but he never thought he would return to pursue his art. However, Clinton is the birthplace of his passion for creation. In the fourth grade Gonzales was once given an assignment to draw what he wanted to be when he grew up. He remembered the drawing made it on the front page of the Clinton Daily News at the age of ten or eleven. “I drew myself as an artist, painting on an easel, wearing a beret with a lamp shining down on me. The art became more therapeutic. I started doing more painting, to keep my mind busy,” he said. With ideas always in his head during 2020, he was able to dedicate more time to his true passion.
When he enrolled in art class in eighth grade his art teacher praised his work and encouraged him to continue. His teacher gravitated towards him, impressed with the young artist’s ability. “I was one of six people in eighth grade to receive a certificate of special recognition for art at graduation if I remember correctly.” Early on, his drawing sketches were primarily in pencil and he worked little with color. “I was always intimidated by colors and paint,” he said, “There are a lot of artists that I love and like to emulate.” Gonzales said artists Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, Alec Monopoly, Steven Paul Judd, D*Face, Alex Pardee, and Banksy were the artists who inspired him the most.
