Making his mark: Brian Gonzales on discovering a passion for printmaking

Born in Santa Monica, California, to parents of Mexican and Honduran heritage, Brian Gonzales is a visual artist and printmaker passionate about collecting fine art prints and printed ephemera. He has pushed the medium of printmaking with polyester plate lithography and alternative ink technology. His work is featured in the book "PUSH Print: 30+ Artists Explore the Boundaries of Printmaking" (2012).

Gonzales's journey into printmaking began during his undergraduate studies at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. After completing his B.F.A. in 2008, he went on to earn an M.F.A. at the Herron School of Art and Design. After graduation, he worked as a research fellow at Supergraphic and Super G Print Lab in Durham, North Carolina. Since 2016, he has taught art at the college level in the United Arab Emirates.

We recently emailed Gonzales to learn more about where he's at in his career, and he discussed his graduate experience, as well as his creative process and inspiration.

HERRON: Printmaking is a very process-driven artform. How did you come to choose printmaking as your medium of choice?

BRIAN GONZALES: I was introduced to printmaking as an undergraduate student at East Carolina University (ECU). In my sophomore year, I took an introductory survey course in printmaking. The first project was a woodcut. I remember being totally immersed in carving the block and knew right away that this was the kind of artist I wanted to be. It just felt right. Having an excellent teacher was also an important factor. I feel fortunate to have learned printmaking under Michael Ehlbeck at ECU.

HERRON: Tell us about your creative process. What motivates you to create works on paper, and how does this influence your teaching of printmaking to undergraduate students?

GONZALES: I don't need much motivation to create. The motivation is always there. Finding uninterrupted time to dedicate to a project is the more difficult part.

I use my technical demonstrations in class as an opportunity to explore an idea or technical possibility for a larger project. It's important that students see more than just the step-by-step technical methods in a demo. They need to see an actual artwork go from concept to completion.

I start demos with an idea and preliminary drawing, then move it through the printmaking process to arrive at something that looks like a finished work of art. So, if I'm busy with teaching or other responsibilities, I finish a small project in each demo that moves me closer to the big project even when it's difficult to commit time to my studio work.

HERRON: In what ways have your MFA studies at Herron influenced your work or teaching philosophy?

GONZALES: In undergrad, studying printmaking, I was entirely focused on technical skill, craftsmanship, and producing traditional editions. When I started grad school at Herron, I consciously decided to explore making art outside of printed editions. Because I focused so heavily on traditional printmaking methods, I knew I needed to improve working three-dimensionally and conceptually. I started doing a lot of reading, and I applied printmaking techniques to sculpture, installation projects, or just drawing without the need to turn it into a print. Grad school gave me the time I needed to let go of traditional printmaking methods and use my technical skills in a new way.

In all honestly, I didn't develop a teaching philosophy until after I had been teaching for several years. Teaching a few courses at Herron was undoubtedly helpful and necessary for developing my teaching style, but it takes time to figure out how to communicate ideas and techniques effectively.

HERRON: Was there a touchpoint, discovery, or experience during your graduate studies that served as a turning point for your work?

GONZALES: Immediately after I had finished grad school, I destroyed all the artwork I had made up to that point. My friends and I tossed it all into a fire. The only artwork left was my thesis show in the Herron Galleries. Eventually, I destroyed that too.

After grad school, I needed to purge all the old artwork to make room for new work and ideas and give myself a fresh start as an artist. I looked back at everything I had made and realized I no longer related to it anymore. I got what I needed out of grad school, and it was time to start over as a new artist.

HERRON: After finishing your M.F.A. at Herron, you found yourself on the other side of the world at the University of Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates' only university that offers a B.F.A. in visual arts. What is your favorite aspect of teaching the arts to an international student body?

GONZALES: One of the benefits of teaching in the U.A.E. is that the faculty and student body are far more diverse than any school I have ever attended in the U.S. The students and faculty are from all over the world, and everyone here is eager to share their culture with others. Living in the middle east has also given me the opportunity to travel more. From the U.A.E., visiting countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa is more accessible than flying out of the US.

HERRON: How do you push the boundaries in your artistic practice?

GONZALES: I don't concern myself with whether my artwork is pushing boundaries. I focus on making art that I like and feel satisfied with. I don't think it's helpful going into a project burdening yourself with the idea that art isn't valid unless it challenges established methods or ideas. For me, I think it's better to focus on making art that is interesting and well-crafted. If the work is made honestly and thoughtfully that is enough in my opinion.

HERRON: In 2020-2021, you displayed your extensive print collection in an installation-style exhibition that recreated the setting of your private living room. How did gallerygoers react to the experience? How do you see your printmaking experience influencing your art collecting?

GONZALES: The idea for that exhibition came about around 2017 after a conversation with my friend and colleague Tor Seidel, who teaches photography. When introducing a new printmaking technique in class, I always pull relevant prints from my collection to show students and get them thinking about the medium's possibilities. Tor saw some of the prints I was showing and suggested that I exhibit prints from my collection because he had never seen anything like them in the U.A.E. The Middle East doesn't have a long tradition of printmaking or a printmaking community, so contemporary American prints are rather unique here.

In 2019, I pitched the idea of an exhibition to Maraya Art Center in Sharjah, and we started planning an exhibition for 2020. After some discussions with the curator, I settled on the idea of displaying the collection the same way that I live with it at home. I moved a lot of my furniture and personal belongings into the gallery to create an authentic replica of my living room with all the artwork on display.