August 12, 2019

Meet Gerry Mulowayi of Artogm in Glendale

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gerry Mulowayi.

So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My name is Gerry, I’m Graphic Illustrator, and this is my story. I’m immigrant from the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) …well at the time it was called Zaire…But in any case that’s where it all starts.

I was 7 years old and out on an adventure with my mother to meet one of her friends. Once there, they got to talking and I simply wandered off into her house. Inside I bumped into another kid, and he had scattered pieces of paper all over the floor. He was drawing and I was curious. He noticed me and asked if I would like to draw with him, I told him I didn’t know how. So he sat me down and gave some tracing paper and a comic book called Lucky Luke. My instructions where to trace every line I saw on the cover of the book. Not sure what the purpose of that was I went head and did as I was told. After that something clicked, I couldn’t stop, I kept drawing, drawing and drawing. There were so many images and ideas in my head that I had create. Because I now had an outlet that could bring all these things to life. As kept practicing my art family got some news and we decided to move to the states. Once here the opportunities were endless, sensory overload. I had now access to books on art, artist, comics, and more. Trying to navigate that was a bit insane, fortunately I had surrounded myself with friends and family who were very supportive and helped me make sense of all of these options and they guided me to stage. Even on my worst days they haven’t given up on me and even now they still encourage me to move forward.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There are always challenges in this line of work. They range from not making enough money at shows, the constant competition and need to stand out from the rest, disappointing some fans by not being there… not on purpose, but it’s just the way the story goes. Traveling is another big one, deciding whether or not is worth to attend some shows outside of the state or country…It’s a lot. However, these are good problems to have and in some ways I’m very lucky. As a child in DRC I couldn’t have dreamed that I’d be doing any of this. From having a following, being recognized for my work and attending shows with some of Idols. At the end of the day I welcome these challenges they help me grow.

Please tell us more about your artwork, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
The Art of GerryM or Artogm for short is a label that allows me to create a wide range of illustrations from fantasy, religious, fanart and the abstract. My work as always been known for its light-hearted tone, its experimental nature at times and captivating colors. Currently, I’m working on creating covers/posters of my favorite comics, books and concepts. I’m approaching these projects from a designer stand point, focusing on typography first, and illustration second.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I’ve been experimenting with a couple of themes and design elements… the only thing I’ll say is that it’s something with Knights, and I’ve got a graphic novel that I‘ve got to finish. That should be plenty for right now.

Contact Info:

Email: gmulowayi85@gmail.com
Instagram: artogm
Facebook: artogm

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