Alfonso Gobea grew up in the mid-west and began to draw when he was in high school. His art teacher helped him to develop his skills and encouraged him to pursue a career in the arts. After high school he joined the Air Force and was stationed in Japan. There he learned more about the art of line drawing techniques and the simplicity of design. When he left the service, he continued his education at Miami-Dade Community College, completing a program in painting techniques which then brought him to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. He finished his education at Pratt receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration and Graphic Design.

When he was still at Pratt, Alfonso began working for an advertising agency and worked his way up to the position of Art Director. After many years there, he and his family relocated to Maine. He has worked as a freelance artist and has received commissions for drawings and paintings. His most recent commission was doing the illustrations for a childern's book, Scary Hairy MyL'Stones in collaboration with Scott Harrison.

Alfonso has now formed his own studio, Alfonso Creative Artistry. He will draw almost anything to order and is skilled in doing illustrations, portraits, logo design, and card design. He is looking forward to growing and to serving the local area and beyond.

William Esty Company
(February 1982 - October 1984)
New York, N.Y. - Studio Assistant - cutting mattes and preparing storyboards for presentations, assisting in general studio work.

D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles
(October 1984 - January 1988)
New York, N.Y. - Assistant Art Director - Managing and organizing accounts, developing concepts with copy writers, contacting venders to assist in final projects.

Sweeney & Partners
(January 1989 - August 1993)
Montvale, N.J. - Art Director - Creative support of brand advertising, creative development of brand promotions, client development of brand.

Freelance
(June 1993 - present)
Scary Hairy MyL'Stone - Children's Illustration, Yarmouth, ME
L.L. Bean's - Layout designs for catalog, Freeport, ME
Commissioned to do pen & ink drawings of homes and pet portraits
Winterpeople, Freeport, ME - Designed images for product line
Swardlick Marketing Group, Portland, ME - Layout comps for presentation
Kent, Parker & Wayne Company, Montvale, N.J. - Comps and layout design for advertisements
Creative Broadcast Concepts Inc., Bidderford, ME - Layout design for newspaper ads

Gallery Exhibits
Fore Street Gallery - Portland, ME
Thomas Spencer Gallery - Yarmouth, ME

Education
Bachelor of Fine Art - Illustration / Graphic Design, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N.Y., Associate of Fine Arts - Painting & Drawing, Miami - Dade Community College, Miami, FL

Interests
Photography, computer graphics and design, music, kayaking & snorkeling.