image © El Gato Gomez
Among the artists who focus on the subjects of Halloween and horror, El Gato Gomez is one of the most prolific. Her works range from kooky, mid-century depictions of haunted houses, hearses, and cats to retro futuristic takes on moon monsters and rockets.
She paints with a bold style using saturated colors and rendering whimsical subjects that take me back to simpler times. Her work is affordable, with original paintings often selling in the $150-200 range. Beware, though - originals usually sell quickly. I’d like to buy one, but I may never be in the right place at the right time to do so. While that is a bit frustrating, it indicates that there’s a market for this sort of kitschy, original art in today’s world of digital domination.
As a Warhol fan, I see his influence on the work ethic and pop art sensibilities of Ms. Gomez. Her real name is a mystery, though she’s said to hail from Pittsburgh with her husband and two children. She paints 4-5 paintings in each 8-10 hour workday and never takes a day off.
Make no mistake, this is commercial art, not art school self-expression. Still, I like the subject matter and the execution is polished and fun. “Art” is in the eye of the beholder. I encourage you to check out her site at https://elgatogomez.bigcartel.com/ and make up your own mind.