Hello, I'm Jorge G.

Jorge R. Gonzalez Artist Statement Why I started​,​ what has and still inspires me​,​ and why I’m in this Road. Like most visual artists throughout my adolescence​,​ I enjoyed doodling​,​ most classes in school tended to be rather boring to me​,​ which led to my using the side of most composition papers to draw and daydream. As I was entering my high school years​,​ I was inclined to become an airplane mechanic causing my three years of high school to be totally focused on that endeavor. After graduating from high school​,​ I applied my energy into obtaining a degree in the optical field​,​ but halfway through a certain spark of passion awoke in me towards the arts. I started with drawing​,​ which led to printmaking​,​ then photography and at the end of my studies​,​ years down the road I obtained a degree in sculpture. Photography and painting were also my interests​,​ but sculpture was my true calling. After graduation from the university​,​ I started my studio and commenced my career in the Fine Arts in what I thought would be my life for years to come. But life tends to throw you curves and things sometimes don’t go as planned. And this is what happened to me​,​ a life changing event or series of events drew me away from the arts for many years. Raising a family and providing for them became number one in my focus and heart​,​ making the arts secondary placing them on a very small almost nonexistent back burner. It would be almost 20 years before I would return to thinking of and participate in anything related to the arts. Photography became my medium of choice as I started my path once again to what was once my passion. Then a set of events and life choices led me completely back to the arts and a true desire to create and communicate to others through my work was rekindled. I have been influenced by many artists for a variety of reasons. These artists have works that attract me to them in special ways. I have many favorite pieces​,​ but I tend to have a few favorites such Michelangelo’s Moses because of the energy that he was able to bring out of the stone and the size which conveys a true sense of the impact that this man has had on human history​,​ thought and beliefs. Picasso’s Guernica because of the expansive yet intimate capture of a tragedy in his homeland. Starry Night by Van Gogh because of the visual movement that he was able create on a two-dimensional medium. Karel Appel because of the rawness of color and greater than life scale of the pieces. Lastly Cristo and Jeanne-Claude’s many works because of the process of creation and conceptual aspects which totally intrigued me about their work. I don’t have a preferred medium which in a way brings more freedom to my creative process. I will use any medium that allows me to convey what my goal for the piece will be​,​ with understanding I consider myself a multi-media artist. I don’t limit myself to just painting or sculpture or photography but any of those disciplines that will carry my thoughts to conclusion​,​ will be used by me. I have totally navigated away from photography​,​ finding it to lack the freedom of expression that a canvas or a three-dimensional piece can give. Currently​,​ I have navigated towards painting on canvas with acrylics​,​ because it allows me more access to work in a series. I have limited my canvas size for the current series​,​ since the messages in these works have a more intimate​,​ almost diary page aspect to them. My working process tends to be as follows: First a feeling or inspiration comes to me from many aspects of my life​,​ then I will work on a plan to bring the idea​/​message to the final result. Sometimes it will be a series of works which allows me to explore the original inspiration to a point of coming to a full conclusion. I will look for inspiration in my daily life​,​ childhood memories​,​ religious experiences​,​ politics and current events. My themes tend to rest on life as a major component​,​ I don’t strive to just place paint down or carve a piece of wood out for the sake of the process​,​ but I strive to point out moments​,​ places​,​ things and feelings related to our existence in this beautiful planet. Communication is always the goal in my work. Religious iconography is to be found in many of my pieces​,​ since my beliefs and life rest strongly on my experiences in Christ​,​ but at the same time I don’t believe in using my work to preach to the viewer what my beliefs are. My work might have certain religious elements but there is a place for preaching and a painting on a wall is not what I feel is the correct venue for it. One of my recurring messages in my work is to emphasize the shortness of our existence​,​ life is but a vapor​,​ and the planning and worrying about tomorrow should not be our focus because tomorrow will bring those events on its own​,​ but to live in the moment we are in​,​ while loving our fellow man should be our true goal.