Gonzales Graphics
An interview with Homies Creator David Gonzales
This interview was originally published in Lowrider Arte shortly before David Gonzales’ “Homies” dolls and associated merchandise became an international craze.
Gonzales Graphics is one of the most recognized names in the lowriding industry, a multi-million dollar business with dozens of imitators nationwide. Recognized for his Aztec images and Homies line of T-shirts, David Gonzales’ career actually spans twenty years and several publications, beginning with the earliest issues of Lowrider magazine. We were fortunate enough to talk to him about what it takes to make it as an artist in today’s market.
“I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember,” says the Richmond, California, native. David was lucky enough to have teachers and parents who recognized his talent and encouraged him to pursue it. After taking cartooning and airbrushing in high school, he enrolled himself in the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. He went on to San Jose State for a degree in Graphic Design and Commercial Art, hustling his way through by painting pinstripes and murals on lowrider cars and making flyers advertising area shows.
His involvement in the lowriding scene put him in contact with Five Star Productions, where he became the staff artist for Lowrider Happenings magazine. Impressed with his work, original Lowrider magazine publisher Sonny Madrid approached him about leaving the competition publication.
“David was into Franck Frazetta and all that fantasy art, which was really cool,” remembers Sonny. But it was a comic strip set in the barrio, “Chico Loco,” that really caught Sonny’s eye. Over a power lunch of margaritas and burritos at Antuna’s, where the discussed Chicano politics and art, “Homies” was born.
“Sonny let me do what I wanted,” David explains. “Without censorship, we could get away with all kinds of things you couldn’t do today.” The adventures of Hollywood, Pelon, Gata, La Tiny and all their friends soon became one of Lowrider’s most popular features. The crew began traveling to lowriding hot spots (and important Lowrider markets) like Story and King streets in San Jose, Whittier Boulevard in East Los Angeles and the Mission District in San Francisco. David’s other work graced the cover of Barrio del Arte, precursor to Lowrider Arte, and other illustrations for the magazine. One centerfold, “Bustin’ Loose,” taught David a valuable lesson.
“A T-shirt company stole the image and used it on their product,” he explains. To add insult to injury, the shirt was even advertised in Lowrider. “If you go to college,” David advises, “try to at least minor in business. Learn to protect yourself and your art.”
That’s not the only thing David has learned over the course of his career. “Too many Chicano artists get caught up drawing just cars and women,” he laughs, noting that these were what paid his bills for many years. “You need to do ‘life studies,’ landscapes, still lifes and people. Learn every technique, oil paints, watercolors, whatever. Don’t limit yourself to pen and ink – there aren’t many jobs in that.
“What we don’t need are thousands of Chicanos making the same type of art. The lowrider market is becoming saturated – it’s great now, but what about two years from now? More Chicanos need to be represented in fields like industrial design, technical design, computer graphics, even the fine arts.” There are more role models than ever for Chicano artists to look up to, so why limit yourself?
David found inspiration in the work of lowrider artists like Mike Pickle, Teen Angel and even Easy Rider’s Dave Mann. But he also looked to the fantastic work of Frank Frazetta, and trained with the “Godfather of Chicano Silkscreening,” University of California – Davis Chicano Arte Professor Malaquias Montoya. “My real inspiration, however, were the four years I spent working in the Chicano community, being engulfed in barrio culture.” The result has been fulfilling and profitable, but not without pitfalls.
“I’ve sometimes gotten a negative response, being a Chicano businessman,” David admits. His work, because of its OG flavor, has been criticized as gang related by some. He had to learn to market his art in unconventional ways, at gas stations and taco stands. He’s also learned to “censor” himself, staying away from drug-related and violent imagery. After he learned that a group of MEChA mujeres burned some of his Classic Body T-shirts, which featured women in suggestive poses, he discontinued the line completely. “I used to be in MEChA myself, and I respect their views. Some things are more important than money.”
His willingness to change hasn’t hurt his success – his business grows each year, selling millions of shirts and introducing new designs regularly. “We’ve gone from Jose’s Burrito Wagon to JCPenney, and it just keeps getting bigger,” says David. He continues to expand his horizons, and has even won awards in the fine arts, but “Homies” is where his heart is.
“Over the years in music, art and especially cars, Chicanos are defining their own style, different from the Latino and Mexican flavors. My art is a part of it,” he says proudly. “It is unique to us, something we created, that is respected throughout the world. We sell shirts to Japan, Canada, all over the world. It’s amazing how far it’s gone from Aztlán.”