Sylvia Gonzalez

My current work is a mix of pastel drawings on monotypes. While the monotypes are the backgrounds they make up the majority of the work in these pieces. I use photocopies of photographs, fabric, maps, things of esthetic or personal interest and pull prints from them using a lithography process. I usually do several layers with images and fields of color. This is an intuitive process, considering color, texture and composition. They have anywhere from 2 layers to 15. When I determine a print to be finished, I decide if or what to draw on it.

 I am so intrigued by nature and its creatures small and large. The natural world is so much more beautiful and interesting than anything I can imagine. I am constantly looking at color, light and shadow, what lies beneath, what do I see?  What don’t I see?  How do I connect with it?  The process of creating is my attempt to connect with the world and divine nature.

I grew up in the Midwest and in 1984 graduated with a BFA from Ball State University in Muncie IN. I traveled in Europe in 1985 and apprenticed with my uncle Wilfredo Arcay, a master printer of serigraphy in his Atelier in Paris, but really spent most of my time exploring Paris and Europe for the summer. I came to San Francisco in 1988 were I worked a myriad of jobs including picture framing, waitressing, office assistant, hardwood floors apprentice (way too hard), and ended up wandering the world for a while trying to figure out what it means to be an artist.

In 2001 I had my daughter Lucia and moved from Fairfax to Petaluma where I have been living as a full time artist since. I keep my studio in a 100+ year old chicken coop on the outskirts of Petaluma

Sylvia Gozales