The Artistic Journey:
A Progression of Creativity and Technique
Dennis, a first-generation Nicaraguan American, grew up in Boyle Heights, a neighborhood in East Los Angeles. From a young age, his mother Gloria recognized and supported his talent for drawing. Creativity ran in the family; Dennis's great uncle, Rubén Dario, was a renowned writer and poet, while his uncle Orlando Sobalvarro was an accomplished abstract painter. During his youth, Dennis loved drawing classic monsters, robots, and spaceships inspired by the Transformers and Robotech. However, it wasn't until he watched a segment about the making of TRON that he became fascinated with the idea of creating art with technology. Despite the unlikelihood of his goal, he was determined to become a digital artist.
The Boyle Heights neighborhood was in the midst of a gang war, and Dennis grew up surrounded by its harsh realities. Graffiti at the end of his street listed the names of gang members, with a cross-out signifying that they had been killed. The sound of police sirens was as common to him as the ice cream truck's jingle. Despite this, he still enjoyed childhood games and riding bikes with his friends like any other kid. He also enjoyed watching the sunset over downtown from the hilly streets of Boyle Heights. Unfortunately, after several break-ins at his family's home and his brother being held up at knife point at a nearby payphone, Dennis's parents decided it was time to move.
In 1987, the Gomez family relocated to Baldwin Park, a suburb 30 minutes east of Los Angeles that resembled a park with its lush trees and mountain views. There, Dennis discovered a passion for skateboarding and started riding around the city with his new friends. One day, he grew tired of the scratched-up design on his skateboard, so he sanded it down and painted his own artwork onto it. Later, an older skater noticed the board and traded him his pro-deck for the custom-painted board.
In 1991, Dennis attended high school, where he realized his dreams of making computer graphics. Although there was no dedicated class for computer graphics, his counselor recommended the Drafting Class. Dennis excelled in this class and taught himself how to use Adobe Illustrator by reading the manual. Mr. Wallace, his teacher, recognized his abilities and requested that the school spend $15,000 to purchase Photoshop, a scanner, and an updated version of Adobe Illustrator. After graduating from high school, Dennis got his first job as a junior designer at a t-shirt and sign shop called MW Design, where he learned about running a small design business from the owner, Mike Walker.
In 1996, At the age of 19, Dennis was driving his car and got into an accident. Unfortunately, the accident was his fault, and he ended up owing the woman he crashed into a car. He was left with no transportation so he could not keep his job at MW Design any longer. The woman he crashed into had an interesting surprise for Dennis. It turned out that her father was a used car dealer, and he got her a car immediately. With no need to replace her car, she asked Dennis to design her logo, stationary and business cards for her Jewelry Design business instead.
Excited to take on a new project and showcase his design skills, Dennis took her print job to print shop that he had long admired. He made his way to A&A Graphics & Printing, a renowned design studio and printshop that specialized in marketing for the nightlife industry. While there, he decided to inquire about job opportunities and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the person at the front desk was none other than Artie Parent, the owner of the print shop. Artie expressed interest in bringing Dennis into the studio and asked him to return in two weeks when newly constructed offices would be available. Upon returning, Dennis was introduced to Juno, a talented designer who was currently working on art for an Easter-themed Rave that featured a 3D egg breaking with a rabbit jumping out. Dennis was immediately impressed with Juno's work and felt a surge of inspiration. However, he also knew that he didn't have the skills to design in 3D.
Undeterred, Dennis approached this opportunity with a serious attitude, determined to make the most of it. He knew that he had to make sacrifices and made the difficult decision to give up all his vices, including drinking, drug use, and just for kicks even gave up meat. He held himself accountable to his word and promised to stay committed to his craft. Dennis believed that if he remained focused for the next 5 years, he could determine if this was the right path for him. If it turned out not to be the right fit, he was confident he could explore other options and find his way.
Dennis Gomez decided to design under the moniker Third Eye. At A&A Dennis worked alongside some of the finest designers in Southern California and had the unique opportunity to have access to fresh press sheets filled with art from design firms from across the country every day. Soon Dennis' illustration skills caught the attention of the industry insiders and he was commissioned to design for a then-popular electronic music festival named "Narnia" by Global Underworld. His designs were fresh and slightly psychedelic, incorporating mystical symbols and imagery.
They made waves throughout Southern California, leading to more work opportunities, including a partnership with Insomniac. With the Art Direction of Pasqual Rotella, Dennis designed the artwork for Nocturnal Wonderland, a festival that drew 20,000 people to a Native American reservation. An event that paved the way for the massive music festivals we enjoy today. His design for Nocturnal Wonderland was even awarded "Flyer of the Year" in a prestigious magazine, solidifying his style as the "LA style". Third Eye became the go-to designer for many California promoters, including Channel 36, B3, Clear Channel, Bill Graham, Live Nation, and Clockwork Events in San Francisco. His funky, bold, and colorful designs, featuring custom illustrations and 3D graphics was unique and set his work apart. Dennis earned a reputation for being one of the most valuable (and expensive) designers in town, largely due to the elaborate designs he created, which included special inks, textured finishes, and unique custom cut shapes. His artwork continued to receive recognition, being featured in magazines and published in books.
In 2003, the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act was signed by George W. Bush, which included provisions that made it easier for authorities to shut down electronic music festivals by seizing sound equipment and other assets used to produce such events.
For Dennis, the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act was a direct threat to his clients, prompting him to shift his focus to cultivating more corporate design work. He began collaborating with well-known companies such as Sony, Interscope, Pioneer, MTV, and National Geographic, among others.
In 2004, Michael Rocchio, a colleague from A&A Graphics, approached Dennis to design the festival map for Coachella, citing the impressive map that Dennis had created for Narnia a few years prior. Despite the government's crackdown on electronic music festivals, Dennis accepted the project because he saw Coachella as an exception: they had bands playing live music. He created the first basic map, featured entry points, stages, food booths and bathrooms, which set the standard for the rich, detailed, and user-friendly map that festival-goers have come to expect.
Dennis' work for Coachella continued to grow in both scope and importance, eventually leading him to produce the Coachella Welcome Package in 2011. A groundbreaking fan experience before the festival featuring the now-iconic cigar-style box, which houses an innovative tray to organize fan wristbands, parking passes, a sticker, a welcome guide, a 13-month calendar, and even a DIY papercraft project which Dennis creates each year. This innovative ticket package elevated the standard of what fans should expect from music festivals. This packaging work paved the way for Dennis to produce over 100 other works yearly from 2011-2020 for Coachella, including imagery, iconography, maps, guide covers, and the schedule signs seen throughout the festival. He also contributed to the look and feel of Coachella's mobile app and website.
Coachella Map 2012 by Dennis Gomez
Coachella Map and App 2017 by Dennis Gomez
Coming soon:
Monty’s Good Burger
Covid Pandemic Shutdown
Coachella 2023
Now…