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Galveston Native Grew Up Playing in the Surf and Now Celebrates that Childlike Joy with his Art

Galveston Artist Gabriel Prusmack
Galveston Artist Gabriel Prusmack | Credit: Photography ©️ A Texas Guide/Keilah Sanchez

Galveston native Gabriel Anthony Prusmack, 35, is an artist who describes his work as something that allows him to “play every day” spreading what he describes as a childlike joy with his paintings.

“My art is something that makes being a kid everyday an actual reality.”

He recently launched a solo show at the Proletariat in Galveston last month, which included an artist talk on April 13. We had a chance to chat with Gabriel and ask him about the show and his life as an artist.

 

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Gabriel Prusmack artist from Galveston TX

Gabriel Prusmack artist from Galveston TX | Credit: Photography ©️ A Texas Guide/Keilah Sanchez

Nice to meet you, Gabriel. Congratulations on all your recent success! Please tell us everything we need to know about this latest show.

The show is something I’ve not been able to do in a while: A found-object painting installation with lots of vibrant colors and experimentation with 3D glasses. The show is about having joy no matter what the situation in life is. It is call “Outgoing Tide” and the beach plays a big role in the motivation.

Gabriel Prusmack with his wife and daughters

Gabriel Prusmack with his Jane and daughters | Credit: Photography ©️ A Texas Guide/Keilah Sanchez

Please tell us a little about your life story and history within the arts?

I was raised on Seawall Boulevard in Galveston, Texas, with my six siblings, surfing all my life with my brothers and friends and eating lots of good food growing up. It’s all part of my reality as is traveling up and down the coast a lot, surfing and now traveling more west these days for hikes and camping with my little family. I’ve been painting murals for some years now and traveling throughout Texas doing that more with a surfboard, skateboard and fishing pole in my car and ready to have fun anywhere I go!

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What do you love about Galveston in particular?

I live on Galveston island, and living here is pretty sweet! We have some amazing people on this island with some amazing talents, including cooking and art. There’s so many fun events to hang out at pretty much all year long!

Artist Gabriel Prusmack in front of his Lost in Love message Photography by Alberto Graulau

Artist Gabriel Prusmack in front of his Lost in Love message | Credit: Photography ©️ A Texas Guide/Alberto Graulau

What would you want outsiders or people considering moving to Texas to know about the state?

Get ready to drive a lot and enjoy amazing sunsets as far as the eye can see, but also stick your head out the window and smell that sweet savory BBQ everywhere. Make sure you come to the coastline ‘cause it’s pretty amazing.

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What is special about Texas in your opinion compared to other states?

It takes longer to drive most places in Texas, so when you leave Texas it’s so much easier to cover lots of ground everywhere else hahaha. I’m thankful for the driving disciplines of Texas. Maybe that’s not special, but in my heart, I get to see everything I need to see everywhere else. As with Texas, Its only just begun!

Galveston Artist Gabriel Prusmack in front of one of his murals in Galveston

Galveston Artist Gabriel Prusmack in front of one of his murals in Galveston | Credit: Photography ©️ A Texas Guide/Alberto Graulau

Why did you stay in Texas as opposed to moving away?

Because Texas is my base camp – it’s home! The beach, specifically, is my home. There’s lots of opportunity here where I live in Galveston and its close to the bigger city, Houston, which I go to often for play and work.

Artist Gabriel Anthony Prusmack with his daughters

Artist Gabriel Anthony Prusmack with his daughters | Credit: Photography ©️ A Texas Guide/Keilah Sanchez

What are your top 5 places to visit in Texas?

Well, I don’t really go to the same places to visit twice unless there are waves involved, but I do like to visit Waco for the Waco Surf Park in Bellmead, just up the road. Harvest in Waco has an amazing Tostada with beans, bacon, egg, and some goat cheese. I also love visiting Corpus Christi just to get coffee and go out for a surf or two! And Llano has a couple good hiking spots around the 100-mile radius.

I also love not taking highways in Texas and stumbling upon a river to fish at places like the Navasota River, where I saw one of the biggest alligator gars I’ve ever seen! I started throwing my topwater chugbug action at it, but it wouldn’t fall for anything less than live bait.

Matagorda is a sweet spot in the winter time when a northwest wind is coming and the surf has been 4-6 feet with a buoy reading of 9-10 feet.

I would also suggest going on over to Stanleys for a quick food pickup and then driving out on the beach to surf all day in the cold before driving back to Galveston, where you can hit up this Mexican restaurant in Brazoria called El Potrillo with an amazing steak and enchilada dinner!

Gabriel is known as @gabsmack87 on instagram

Gabriel is known as @gapsmack87 on instagram | Credit: Photography ©️ A Texas Guide/Alberto Graulau

What are your top 3-5 restaurants and why? Any dishes you can mention?

In Houston, I like to park at Voodoo Doughnuts on Washington street. I get a maple glazed bacon doughnut and maybe a blueberry doughnut, then walk that badboy box over to Truth BBQ and get a slab of meat. I’m talking half pound of ribs and half pound of burnt edges brisket. You better be ready for a nap ‘cause its going hit you like know what’s good for ya! Once I took a 20-minute nap in my car after that, spaced out a bit cause of all the sugar, but I was fine after I hit the reset button.

Over on at the coastline in Galveston, Mama Theresa’s has an amazing calzone with the bread buttered up so good you slap it twice and have a fight with a family member! I once snuck one into the theater and stunk up the whole place with goodness, everyone was slapping everybody in the theatre and I knew the only way this could’ve happened was from the amazing calzone.
Salty Sow in Austin is pretty right standing with God when it comes to the pork shoulder dish and don’t get cheap on me – you better order that apple pie ala mode!

Be Free says Galveston Artist Gabriel Prusmack

“Be Free,” says Galveston Artist Gabriel Prusmack | | Credit: Photography ©️ A Texas Guide/Keilah Sanchez

What are your favorite weekend getaways or adventures – i.e. what is the perfect weekend?

We like to go hike out west or jump in a really cold river in the winter for fun. There’s lots of camping with beautiful views anywhere west of Austin. Sometimes if we go to a hotel or Airbnb I like to eat a whole pizza in the bathtub!

Any other things about Texas or yourself you would like people to know about?

I think we are the only state that makes our waffles into our state food – that is pretty funny.

Artist Gabriel Anthony Prusmack with his Skateboard in front of one of his murals

Artist Gabriel Anthony Prusmack with his Skateboard in front of one of his murals | Credit: Photography ©️ A Texas Guide/Alberto Graulau

Any weird things about Texas that you love? Any favorite Texans?

I love any weird thing about Texas for sure! We can do what we want in Texas and have a party too! You’ve got to love all the (space) in this free-range state. We have so much we could ever ask for and I am thankful for the great state of Texas for what we have.

What are your favorite places/neighborhoods to shop in Texas and why?

I really like the areas in Heights (in) Houston to shop, including the street gear store Proper and coffee shops like Boomtown. My wife and I like to go get coffee and sneakers sometimes as a daytime date. We went out on a date in midtown the other day to an art show at Ellios art gallery and ate at Travelers Table which was very tasty and different.

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