FRANK GONZALES & GUY COMBES Sons of the Desert

UPCOMING SHOW PREVIEW / ARIZONA-SONORA DESERT MUSEUM

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is hosting two overlapping exhibitions of Arizona artists Frank Gonzales and Guy Combes, both of whom create works that are deeply informed by their Southwest surroundings but with vastly different approaches, intent and outcomes.

Taking place in the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s Baldwin Gallery through October 30, Hijo del Sol showcases Gonzales’ love of the Sonoran Desert through a selection of his imaginative, eyepopping paintings. Rooted in the organic, natural world, his work often realistically depicts birds and plant life offset by splashes of paint and colors that don’t exist in nature.

“T love abstract art; I love graphic design. I love music,” says Gonzales. I’m trying to meld all of these influences together into a single composition. The abstract elements have an energy that activates the space, that breaks it up.” He imagines that growing up in the 80s and g0s hip hop and skate culture unconsciously found its way into his work, showing up in his affinity for bright colors and occasional use of spray paint.

Gonzales often works from observational studies in gouache or watercolor in addition to photos he’s taken or imagery sourced elsewhere, but he’s not interested in creating scientifically accurate illustrations.