Meet Roemello Ugale of Reseda

Today we’d like to introduce you to Roemello Ugale.

Hi Roemello, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Golden Age began in 2017 when I was collecting and reselling vintage clothing to make extra money while in college. At first all of my sales were online but within a years time I started doing pop up events around Los Angeles with the help of my best friend, Alec, and even hosting underground pop ups at my university in the TV Studio on campus. In December of 2018, I went on a road trip to Missouri with my former roommate, Danny Dwyer, who introduced me to his lifelong friend, Coop, who is without a doubt the reason I am here today.

Stepping down into Coop’s basement was like walking onto a foreign planet for the first time. It was the first time I stepped into an artist’s space. He had a record collection in one corner, numerous racks of vintage clothing as well as pieces that he made, and in the center of it all was a massive table with a four color print machine. On the desk next to it were posters he had printed and steel frames with stencils burned into the mesh. I had never seen anything like this. When I asked him what this was, he simply responded, “Silk Screen”. He showed me clothes that he had printed and even gave me a few shirts and crewnecks that read “CATHOLIC RADIO 1460 KHOJ”, (something he saw on a bumper sticker in town) that were printed on vintage blanks that I have to this day. When he told me that he learned how to silk screen from watching Youtube videos I knew that it was something I would learn on my own as well.

In the following months I watched hours of videos on how to screen print at home, what materials I’d need, and set aside a few hundred dollars for my new hobby. After days of failed attempts at burning a screen, on April 27, 2019, I printed my very first shirt. I was hooked. I made a few more screens, tons of shirts and started bringing them to the Rosebowl Flea market where I was selling alongside my good friend, Griffin Kerscher of Socal Cameras. My printed clothes were constantly selling out while my vintage sat on the rack, so I focused on making and selling my own pieces. Since thrifting was already something I loved and was doing routinely, I decided to continue hunting for quality, preloved clothing to print my art on.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This path has come with great success and great hardships. A common factor between both has been remaining authentic with my art. I stand very firm on making what I like and not succumbing to trends or following what others are doing. In terms of style and developing my skills I think that this righteous mindset has done me wonders, but at times it has proven to be incredibly difficult financially.
Living and selling clothing in Los Angeles, one sees a lot of brands and trends that look extremely similar to others. I’ve always wanted my creations to stand out and look different from the rest, but it has definitely been a challenge to find the right clientele who understand what goes into making the product and will pay the price for a handmade piece. There have been plenty of times where I’ve not had enough money to cover my monthly expenses, but through faith and perseverance, money always finds its way back to me. Doubt will always lie in the back of our minds but persistence and discipline help us overcome that fear. Throughout the years I’ve continued to learn new skills in order to evolve my business which has also led me to start teaching others how to screen print at home like I do, and even hosting workshops at people’s place of business as well as through Airbnb Experiences.

At times it’s hard to remember that the reward of struggle comes in more ways than financial return. The proof of hard work is evident through the evolution of my skillset and precision but the greater impact shows when I see how my journey has effected others. When I travel to different states to sell my art at trade shows like Thriftcon and Complexcon, strangers come to tell me how they’ve been following me for x amount of years and are inspired by my journey. A lot of them tell me how they started their own clothing brand because of me and some have even brought me shirts that they’ve made for me since they knew I’d be in town. Regardless of how successful the trip was monetarily, those people are the ones that I remember most. Messages that I receive online that share the same sentiment reassure me that I’m on the right path, even without that being my true intention. Respect as an artist and longevity in the game will always mean more to me than monetary gain.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a self taught silk screener that utilizes unorthodox techniques to bring a new style to a traditional art form. My printing style is very distinct and undeniably mine as it’s been cultivated through thousands of hours of practice. My ability to blend images together in a way that looks like the piece was made in one broad stroke is a defining characteristic in many of my pieces. When I look back at the last six years of my journey I am most proud that I have never given up. I’m grateful that my mother and father instilled the belief system within me that hard work always pays off, even if it’s not within the timeline we set for ourselves.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
As previously mentioned, Cooper Hickox was the catalyst of my journey. I also owe the great Don Rock enormous gratitude for inspiring me with his work from the 80s till now. Very early on in my printing career I studied so much of his work in order to learn how to layer prints and color combinations for my own works. Although there were many before him, he is the pioneer of screen printing in my eyes.
My friends Mondos Apodaca and Michael Sandoval have captured amazing photos of my work and me in my various work studios. Faith Rossi is my new and first personal assistant who hasn’t been part of my team long but has made a significant improvement in output and workflow. I have eternal gratitude for all of my supporters online who share my work with others or have made purchases to support my journey. It would be wrong if I didn’t mention my dog, Ellie, that is with me almost every hour of the day. She’s hung out in the garage with me and stood guard while I work late nights. She’s been my number one companion and supporter from the start. Lastly I have to extend my eternal gratitude to all artists before me and in the present who push(ed) boundaries in their medium and remain true to themselves for the love of the art. They are who inspire me most on this never ending journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://goldenagethrift.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/goldenagethrift

Image Credits
In order
Mickey Desole Atelier (Cover Photo)
Mondos Apodaca
Michael Sandoval
Alec Carlson
Michael Sandoval for the remaining photos