about

Ambre Aki Gonzales obtained her BA from the University of California at Santa Barbara: College of Creative Studies with emphases in book arts and sculpture and a minor in music. While at UCSB, Gonzales participated in the Department of Art Honors Program under the guidance of Harry Reese (Turkey Press) and Jane Mulfinger. Her work at the time largely centered around the use of audio cassette tapes both as material and conceptual inspiration. After completing her degree, Gonzales spent time traveling and living in Japan and Australia.  While in Japan, Gonzales worked with paper artist Kyoko Ibe, where she learned traditional Japanese techniques for fabricating byoubu art screens as well as aspects of Japanese papermaking.

Currently Gonzales is building her art practice out of her home in Altadena, California.  She is also a current member of the SOPA Artist Collective in South Pasadena.  Her new works use print and book arts to explore the role of “craft,” “low art” and the “handmade” in the digital-driven 21st century. These works include pochoir (hand-colored stencil) prints that are inspired by woodblock prints, folk characters and animalia.