Mark Gonzales

Mark Gonzales, otherwise known as the Gonz, is an American professional skateboarding and art legend. Skateboarding and contemporary art go hand in hand, from skate style, deck art, film, and more the entire skate community is enveloped in artistic expression. Gonz is known in the skateboarding world for being a pioneer in street skating, he has popularized skate spots such as The Embarcadero in San Francisco, U.S. and he was among the first to skate handrails. Gonz has been skating and making art since the age of 15, now 51, he is an inspiration to many in the skateboarding and art community. Mark’s art, like his skating, is creative, colorful, unique, ambitious, and wholeheartedly his own. Mark is known for having a completely different outlook in the skating community, he is kind and sees the sport for what it is, light-hearted fun. Many in the industry unfortunately see the community as only having limited spaces but Mark restores faith in what the industry should be like: full of love, art, fun, creativity, and inclusion. Regarding Gonzales’s contemporary art it reminds me of an early 80’s-90’s keith haring pop art kind of style. Most of his artwork utilizes minimal elements, has simple bold stick figure like line work, his portraits are rather abstract and emphasize features in a socially challenging way (ie. not societal standard of beauty). I almost failed to mention that Mark Gonzales launched skateboard company Krooked with deluxe distribution. Krooked features most of his art and other skateboarders artwork often in a similar style. Mark’s art reminds me of mature children’s art and by this I mean it is clear he does not overthink his work or put more elements than are necessary. His art speaks for itself in that it is fun, carefree, abstract, and completely open to interpretation. The Gonz inspires me in many ways artistically whether it be skateboarding or illustration but no matter what he inspires me to not take life so seriously and to have fun and be creative in whatever way you can.