Jose Luis Gonzalez (artist)

Jose Luis Gonzalez
Gonzalez in March 2015

Jose Luis Gonzalez (also known as J.L. Goez, Joe L. Gonzalez) has been in the field of fine arts since 1956 as a designer, painter, muralist, sculptor, restorer, ceramist, importer, and arts administrator. Gonzalez is versatile in designing, executing, and installing of murals, shrines, monuments and restoration of the same. Gonzalez has devoted his lifetime to the recognition and training of Chicano artists in the United States, with results that have won him international acclaim. He received a City of Los Angeles Certificate of Service, for his chairmanship of The Los Angeles City Bicentennial Committee from Mayor Tom Bradley on September 28, 1976. He also received the Bronze Medallion of Mexico City from Dr. Carlos Hank Gonzalez, Mayor of Mexico City, in 1981 for his contributions toward the Mexico City is Sister City of Los Angeles project. In 1984 Peter Ueberroth, President of the Olympic Committee, along with Harry L. Usher and Paul Ziffren, presented him a Certificate and Bronze Medal for his contributions to the success of the 23rd Olympiad held in Los Angeles known also as the 1984 Summer Olympics.

Notable points in career

• Founded Goez Imports and Fine Arts in 1969 to assist and promote Chicano artists, to bring about a cultural awareness while beautifying the community through murals and fine arts.
• As project director and art director contributed greatly towards the creation and installation of the mural, The Birth of Our Art designed by Jose Luis Gonzalez's brother, Juan Gonzalez and assisted in design by Robert Arenivar, Ignacio Gomez and David Botello. This mural was installed onto the facade of the Goez Art Studio in 1971.
• A History of Our Struggle graced the store front of First Street Store, East Los Angeles (1974)^[1] The mural measured 1,123 square feet total, 17 of the murals were designed by Robert Arenivar with the contributions of Jose Luis Gonzalez as project director, art director and historian, and Juan Gonzalez, and David Botello; while two center panels were designed by David Botello.
• Dewar's Profile,^[2] "Published November 1, 2014 at 1203 × 1674 in Dewars Whisky Ads and Posters"^[2] The ad appeared in numerous national magazines and newspapers in 1975.
• "Goez Art Studio's mural at the Centro Maravilla Service Center, 1975, offers a glimpse of early Los Angeles life. The 8' h x 60' w mural is divided into three panels, each portraying a different historical scene of life along Brooklyn Avenue in the community of Maravilla. Maravilla was one of the earliest settlements in East Los Angeles, which was originally home to those fleeing religious persecution in Mexico."^[3][4][5][6]
• In 1978, Jose Luis Gonzalez designed a ceramic tile mural that included a decorative border feature surrounding the City Terrace Library titled Ofrenda Maya – Mayan Offering located at 4025 City Terrace Drive, Los Angeles CA 90063.^[7]
• Jose Luis Gonzalez designed and executed the official Olympic Mural for the 23rd Olympiad, titled Bienvenidos a la Ciudad de Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula held in Los Angeles July 1984. The mural 45' high by 100' wide located across the street from the Los Angeles Coliseum was painted with the assistance of Robert Arenivar, his son, Manny Gonzalez, Bernie Granados, Javier Vargas, Armando de la Cruz, and Tony Ramirez.^[8]
• Gonzalez was the Project Director and Head Sculptor for the City of Hope project in Duarte, CA in 1988. It was a two-year project which entailed the construction of a shrine for a 7' tall hand-carved marble statue of "La Virgen de Guadalupe – A Gift of Hope".^[9][10]
• A Mayan warrior depicted as one of many murals throughout the exterior and interior of a popular shopping, cultural, and restaurant center El Mercado de Los Angeles, on First and Lorena Streets in Los Angeles, completed in 1990. Mosaic tile.^[11]
• In 1991. Gonzalez created the mural work, "Building the Future", which is located in the Salesian Boys and Girls Club on Wabash Avenue in East Los Angeles. "In the foreground students are immersed in educational pursuits. Behind them and across a bridge stands a shiny downtown with Mother Nature looking on."^[12]
• In 1988, Gonzalez was commissioned by Time magazine to create a mural which had the likeness of actor Edward James Olmos as a rising star. "The mural was commissioned for use on the cover of Time for the July 11, 1988, issue."^[13]

Awards

• United States Hispanic Bi-Centennial United States Bicentennial in Los Angeles Committee as chairman, 1975–1976, Mayor Tom Bradley,David Lozano, Mark Russak, 1976
• Los Angeles for outstanding contributions to the City, Mayor Tom Bradley, April 25, 1976
• Resolution by the Honorable Art Torres, Fifty-sixth Assembly District, April 25, 1976
• City of Los Angeles Certificate of Service, The Los Angeles City Bi-Centennial Committee, Inc., Mayor Tom Bradley, September 28, 1976
• Bronze Medallion of Mexico City from Dr. Carlos Hank Gonzalez, Mayor of Mexico City, 1981. Mexico City is Sister City of Los Angeles.
• Los Angeles 1984 Olympics Peter Ueberroth, President of the Olympic Committee, Harry L. Usher and Paul Ziffren, Certificate and bronze medal for his contribution to the success of the 23rd Olympiad
• Dewar's Profile Class of 1975 by Henry Yoris, U.S. Business Managers, Dewar's, February 23, 1989, Dallas Texas
• KCET and Union Bank of California, Local Hero of the Year award, September 14, 2007.

In this reference, LA County Art Commission inadvertently excluded J L Gonzalez of heading this restoration project.^[14]

References

External links

• KCET story of Goez Art Studio – Local Heroes Hispanic Heritage
• Joe Gonzalez talk at UCLA discussing the mural The Birth of Our Art:
• City Terrace Library mural restoration