Meet Anthony Gobeille

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Gobeille.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was born and raised in Northern New Jersey. From an early age, I drew mazes (I liked drawing and I liked games). I also wanted to be like my older brother and he liked drawing and liked cool music so naturally, I liked those things too. We grew up in a small town on a mountain next to a lake. I spent most of my youth with the same friends playing outside, swimming, running through the woods, getting lost, staying out too late, skinny dipping, howling at the moon, drinking by bonfires. Despite the splendor of the great outdoors we also found time to crowd around a tv playing video games or sit quietly by the lake playing Magic the Gathering. It was an idealistic childhood. I’m very grateful.

Most of my artistic inspiration at a young age came from fantasy art and anime. They took me places far away from my quaint town. Luckily I had mentors and teachers that taught me the joy and power of simply drawing from the life around me and I now split my time dipping into both worlds artistically. I love slice-of-life style art just as much as I love absurd fantasy or the absolute abstract. I believe art can handle the weight of all that life has to offer so I drive my art forward with this in mind.

I tried to carve a space for myself for years as an artist in New Jersey and NYC but the drudgery and lack of jobs for artists forced me to consider alternatives. I tired of living the same things over and over and wanted to seize the opportunity I had to make a big move somewhere far, different, and kinder to artists.

I made the move to Los Angeles and am now closer to a community of working artists and cartoonists. Coming here was a way for me to claim independence and to gift myself a clear passage through of a threshold. I’ve met and embraced so many friends and artists so I’m happy to say it has been a rewarding move, I’m more productive and active than ever before.

Please tell us about your art.
I’m driven to create out of protest. My creation is my protest to those who want me to “get in line”. I feel liberated when I can make whatever I want whether it’s ugly, pretty, loud, scary, sensitive, colorful, dreadful, or loving. I desire an expanse and for others too feel their worlds grow when they see my art.

I hope to inspire others to feel comfortable with being complicated and layered. I want others to love themselves fearlessly. To be ok with the parts of themselves that fight with how to wish to be seen. Hypocrisy lives in us all and it’s ok we just have to love each other and let it go!

I also leave myself in my art as a way to say, “This is what I think is cool. This is what I think we need more of. This is another way that we can heal.” It’s not all about feeling “good” but instead feeling liberated and ok with the unknown and ok with our shadows. I want to discomfort the overly comfortable and assuage the overly tough.

I also like to make fan-art, and that’s ok too! Create more! Put it out there! It doesn’t matter if you think it’s “off brand” just let it go and make it happen!

What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
I think artists today have to fight with the fact that we’ve multiplied. My views are skewed by the life I’ve lived but I have a hunch that there have never been so many self-actualized artists working towards their dreams at the same time in human history. This doesn’t have to be a curse and I think we can strive to create (and many are) a world where artists are celebrated and validated instead of side-lined as eccentric or non-essential. We can keep making communities and inclusivity and in doing so do our part to heal our bleeding world.

With cuts to arts programs worldwide but especially in the U.S. we risk losing the core of who we are as a species. We won’t know what we are living for any more if we cannot reflect in a meaningful way. I hope cities embrace and HIRE artists more to make their cities more beautiful. Cities should show how proud they are of the cultured/brilliant/artistic people living there. Many cities around the world do this and they (in my judgment) have much richer culture because of it. This practice is painfully absent in the U.S.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My work is often updated and can be found on my website. I post even more of my work on my Instagram.

You can support me by sharing my work or hiring me for commission/work by emailing me.

I’m most often hired for album art, band merch, tattoo design, portraiture (usually family or pets; realistic, cartoony or abstract), character/world design, cartooning, and sequential/comic art.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.AnthonyGobeille.com
• Email: anthgobeille@gmail.com
• Instagram: HarryLongabaugh
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnthonyGobeilleIllustration/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnthonyGobeille

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