OTISWOODS aka Alex Gonzalez

I'm an artist of multiple skills with experience in various mediums but not limited to painting,
sculpting, sign painting and paper mache. I grew up in the Westlake/ MacArthur Park
neighborhood, where I still reside. After attending Los Angeles Trade Technical College I worked
independently as a Signpainter and muralist for 6 years later being hired as a full time sign
painter at Disneyland where I work to this day. I’ve been featured in a few online articles such
as: Voyage LA Magazine, Shoutout LA, Metro, Think Dope and a few more. I’ve been involved
in community events with local non profit organization Art Division for at least 10 years, with
there support I’ve exhibited at: The Huntington Library, Craig Krull, USC Fischer Museum. My
process is the everyday people. The regular working class families. The unhoused neighbors
are crowding the sidewalks. All the different cultures, lifestyles, foods from different parts of the
world. The most common denominator is we are all struggling to live our lives. I translate the
dark reality into something more surreal in my paintings, every scent and smell from the foul
garbage stench to the delicious smell of local street food. Different aspects of my work build an
environment within the painting, reinterpreting color, textures and the rigidness of this massive
metropolis. I use storytelling to convey my ideas, I create a setting, develop characters to add
more depth to the message being delivered. My subject matter explores but is not limited to,
signage, street ads and street vendors. The homeless crisis and some of the more eccentric
people that add to our traffic. It is in the small details of this city. The sidewalk cracks, the rain
changing the smell of the environment. The constant threat of street gangs, crowded
apartments and single parenthood homes. The clothing and architecture constantly add to the
danger disguised as the city. My work aims to bring awareness, recognition and
acknowledgement to the immigrant experience. In this way I have learned to communicate in
ways I wasn't able to when I was younger, my mental health, my opinion and perspective
through the expression of art.