Not all the paintings done in the 80's were composed with a paint pen and/or spray paint can. The photo is not blurry, it's a technique painters use to fool your eyes and drain your wallet.
Mark Gonzales is one of the most important skateboarders in the history of the sport. His accomplishments and contributions to the sport are to numerous to mention. To simplify it he took vertical skateboarding and applied it to the street. Like his skateboarding he is also a very above average artist with a unique and one of a kind style. At one time I owned two paintings and two or three sketches that Mark had given me. Over the years most were stolen or lost. One painting was a cityscape instead of being painted on masonite or paper they were done with paint pens on a pair of red and black Air Jordan 1’s. A couple years later those Jordan’s were given to a thrift store by my mother. Of course at the time my mom didn’t realize when she gave away those shoes she gave away my down payment for my dream house in Mt. Shasta. Turns out that my mother wasn’t the only Mom who would clean out her son’s closet when they were out of town for any extended time period. Had our mothers known that some day a first edition pressing of Black Flag’s “TV Party Tonight” would be worth hundreds they might not of thrown them away but then again they probably would cause that’s what they’re supposed to do. I cried to my Dad and he told me the story about his Mickey Mantle cards. If my grandfather had been around he probably would have told me about the potato he found as kid in Ireland that was shaped like Attila the Hun. Mothers are supposed to throw valuable items from your childhood away. It’s what they do. Like embarrassing you in public, it’s natural for them, it’s in their breeding. Some of my friends record collections were at risk even if they were just leaving home for a week during spring break, their mothers were that good. It used to be record collections and skateboards would end up in the thrifts now its cd’s, scooters and video games. Anyway God has a strange sense of humor and way of amending and rewarding those of us who try to lead a better life and walk a righteous path. The rest of us he just fucks with all the time. Instead of God giving me back my rightful entitlement which included a nice 1930’s 5 bedroom Spanish adobe with maid quarters and detached stables in Montecito he gave me not one but two Mark Gonzales painting’s. I’m no Mark Gonzales expert, there are people out there who have spent hundreds of thousands on his artwork and skateboards. His skateboards are some of the most collectible period. He could have had a separate career in either medium. But I know a few things about him and why we’re led to believe these paintings are early Mark Gonzales paintings. Like I said, I’m no expert, I didn’t even write this, I went down to the home depot and hired an illegal alien after watching an episode of south park. Nobody is claiming to be an art or mark gonzales expert, if you want to send any angry e-mails send them to Brad Dorfman, Salvador Dali and the guy who invented the metric system.
THE PAINTINGS ……came out of Santa Monica reportedly with other skateboard decks from S.M.A. S.M.A. stands for Santa Monica Airlines. The S.M.A. Natas Kapas Panther Skateboard Deck from the mid to late 80’s is very collectible and has sold for over $1,000 several times (artofskateboarding.com) Natas Kapas was a pro rider, actually the main rider, for S.M.A. Natas was a great skater also, very underrated for his period. Mark and Natas were very good friends and both were artists who inspired each other. The rooming house painting has bold outlines. Mark did not like the name The Gonz much and didn’t know where Chavo was. The women in window and street light are indicative of his style, the pathway has hidden or not so hidden cross at bottom, the rooming house itself looks like it could be in Venice/Santa Monica. The 928 Porsche, Mark liked 928’s, his friend Steve Rocco sold used ones at the car lot he worked at in Redondo. The pool is shaped like a skater would shape a pool. No signature, Mark didn’t like to sign his paintings. Painted on masonite, mark also liked to skate on masonite. Mark owned a ramp with masonite including the ramp that was at the H.B. OP Pro the year of the famous riots, later called the Sure Grip Ramp. Natas Kapas was a champion surfer and owned many surfing trophies. Blind Skateboards is the opposite of Vision. Mark’s Birthday is June 1st. Picasso’s is not. Mark once had a fake i.d. only it wasn't really a fake i.d. , it was a factory blem, the dmv got his birthday wrong so he could drink beer 3 years earlier, mark didn’t care cause he didn't drink but for 18 year old skaters it was big deal and mark became very popular....
It doesn't matter if these are true Mark Gonzales paintings or not because the insurance company thinks they are Keith Haring originals.
No comments:
Post a Comment