Damian Gomes

Wise Guys, Oil Painting

2019

Artist Comments
A neo-expressionist interpretation of the Three Magi, or Three Kings, that came to see the newborn Jesus. Artist Damian Gomes worked in a rough painterly style, mostly applying paint with his hands and palette knives. "The figures are posed for the viewer, like a photograph," explains Damian. "The raw canvas background pushes the figures towards the viewer."

About the Artist
Artist Damian Gomes paints expressionist portraits that meld his subjects' outward appearance with their inner state of mind. His rough, heavily worked canvases feature characters from old photos, dreams, books and television, rendered in a loose balance of poignance and humor. Although mostly self taught, Damian took several semesters of life drawing in college and credits his teacher - "a lovely woman named Josie" - for helping him establish the foundations of his art. Damian lives in Jerome, Arizona, a former ghost town in the mountains now known for its vibrant arts community. He paints in a converted studio space in the old high school with sweeping views and lots of natural light. When he's not painting, Damian enjoys traveling to the beach, the woods and the desert. "I just love to see things I've never seen before," he says, "but really the art keeps me busy even when I'm not making it."

Words that describe this painting: Magi, religious, figurative, portrait, Francis Bacon, Three Kings, men, neo-expressionism, expressionism, people, representational, oil painting, yellow

Wise Guys
Damian Gomes
Oil painting on stretched canvas
Finished white edges
Ready to hang
One-of-a-kind
Signed on back
2019
60 in. h x 48 in. w x 1.25 in. d
5 lbs. 0 oz.