Today we’d like to introduce you to Gustavo “Goose” Gonzalez.
Gustavo, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have been a graphics artist for most of my life; drawing, painting, sculpting, anything. Whatever media I could experiment with, I did. But as soon as I discovered and taught myself to screen-print, I immediately fell in love with it and much to my surprise, the community responded really well to my work. I soon got a job at a local screen-printing shop to learn more about the process. I loved the idea of turning my passion into a profession, so finally, after five to six years with the company, I decided to go out on my own and open “GooseWorks Screen Printing Studio”. A space where I can share what I’m able to do with the community, for the community.
There we were, now here we are.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Where would be the fun in that? If it’s worth fighting for, it’s not going to be easy. Apart from the financial headaches, legal work, and uncertainties that come with starting a business, I’d say the biggest challenge has been the creative process itself. Many creative thinkers will agree: Every day we face things like self-doubt, criticism, creative blocks, and many other factors that manifest themselves in creative resistance that can be seriously exhausting.
However, once you overcome these obstacles and you successfully bring life to whatever started as an idea, it’s an unparalleled feeling. I absolutely love it.
Please tell us about your business.
If you were to take an ad agency, a contemporary graphics artist, and a screen printer, you end up with GooseWorks Screen Printing Studio. All under one roof. We noticed that the T-Shirt artwork offered to many customers was bland and inefficient. By listening and understanding who the customer is and what they’re trying to achieve, we can creatively and effectively create unique artwork that communicates their message in a way that stands out in a crowded market. That is our specialty; marketing through apparel.
There’s an indescribable sense of pride that comes with successfully understanding and solving our customers’ challenges by creating a graphic they love and finding the perfect garment to print it on. Whether they are young entrepreneurs starting a new project, existing businesses looking to rebrand themselves, musicians looking for a logo, or a school trying to boost school spirit through the latest apparel trend, we can help them all.
The quality in our print definitely sets us apart. By using state-of-the-art automatic equipment and constantly experimenting with new techniques, we can provide the customer with a product that goes beyond a simple t-shirt.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I couldn’t have achieved this on my own. My wife has been my main support system throughout this whole experience. She always keeps my feet on the ground and cheers me on to bigger and greater things. At the same time, I’m happy to say I’m lucky to be part of such a close, supportive family. Their encouragement never goes unnoticed. I also found great advocates in the community. Houston has a certain love for supporting local that I can honestly say I have not seen anywhere else. At least not in this magnitude. There’s people who have supported me since I was just an apparel line setting up in pop-up markets. People that I still frequent and hold dear to this day after six years when it all started.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3511 Pinemont Dr. Unit C2
Houston, TX., 77018 - Website: gooseworksart.com
- Phone: 2816854076
- Email: info@gooseworkshtx.com
- Instagram: GooseWorks
Image Credit:
moo-chila
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