Meet Gris Gomez | Surrealist/ Visual artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gris Gomez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gris, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
The creative gene has always been in my family. My parents are both artists: my father is a painter, and my mother is probably the most crafty, creative person I’ve ever met.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a Panamanian visual artist, who enjoys creating art with various mediums.

What sets me apart from other artists is my desire to include, elevate, and support other artists. I believe the art community is in need of more encouragement and support from within, meaning from other artists. After all, in one way or another, our common goals seem to be the same: to create a unique, more inclusive, and loving place to live. Whether it is through our actions, creativity, or speech, celebrating each other is essential to the betterment and progress of all.

What I am most proud of is my heritage. I am originally from Panama, Central America, a country with a rich culture and traditions. One of my efforts, as a Panamanian artist living abroad, is to bring people closer to Panama through my art. The United States is home to a large community of Panamanians, who, just as I, love and yearn for our culture. I love receiving comments from my customers about how my art reminds them of their childhood, relatives, and happy moments growing up in Panama.

How I arrived where I am today is a story of both continued perseverance and faith. Although the creative gene has always been in my family–my parents are both talented artists– it wasn’t until just a couple of years ago that I fully embraced the idea of pursuing an artistic career. In a way, the life circumstances I was living through at the time pushed me in that direction. I had to make difficult life choices that turned out to be blessings in disguise.

During those trying times, painting became my main purpose, release, and comfort. My life had hit a complete reset. Uncertainty became the norm for a while, but I always had my family’s support and faith in my talent to keep me afloat. My brother’s guidance was pivotal when I first started. He inspired me to educate myself on ways to generate passive income. He suggested opening an Etsy shop and using social media to promote my work. That world was all new to me, but I persevered and established an Etsy shop, social media accounts, and my first website.

Has it been an easy road? The answer is no. I am still evolving and learning as an artist. I adore oil painting, watercolors, ink art, gouache, and digital art. Although I consider myself a surrealist artist, I never want to be boxed into a specific style. I plan to continue to expand in all aspects of my life. In a way, I feel life has given me another chance, something I don’t wish to take for granted.

The lessons I’ve learned along the way have been to, “Always throw spilled salt over [my] left shoulder. Keep rosemary by [my] garden gate…” (Just kidding. I love that quote from the movie Practical Magic.) In all seriousness, what I’ve learned along the way is not to take life so seriously; to respect and help others; to self-nurture as much as possible, and to believe in my potential as an artist.

My wish for all who read this piece is to know that it is never too late to find your purpose in life. All it takes is for you, just you, to believe in yourself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love being in nature, and we are so lucky to live in a state where we’re surrounded by trees and mountains. Therefore, the first thing I would do is take them to Stone Mountain or Tallulah Falls for a nice walk and picnic.

The city of Atlanta also offers a wide variety of places to visit, such as the aquarium, art museums, parks, eclectic cities, and unique establishments. I would prepare daily schedules full of fun activities around Atlanta and adjacent cities, where my best friend can get a feel of the uniqueness and diversity of our state.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Well, I am not sure there is enough space to credit all the people who have given me love and support, but I can start by thanking my parents for their undivided support. My brother Jorge for always inspiring me to excel at everything I do. My beautiful daughter Selphie for her tenacity and wholesomeness. My talented artist friends, An_Angel and Cameron for their listening ears. My best friends Alicia and Marixa for their wisdom and kindness. But there are also all the people I meet on a daily basis, who embellish my life by just sharing their own stories of triumphs, failures, resilience, hope, and love with me. To all of them, I owe who I am, in one way or another.

Website: grisjgomez.com

Instagram: grisgomezmappy

Facebook: grisgomezmappy

Other: Etsy- grisgomezmappy

Image Credits
Selphie H.