Crafted by Hand. Driven by Story.
I’m Gabriel Goynes, an illustrator, designer, and lifelong draftsman based in Springfield, Missouri. My work is rooted in a simple belief: a strong image begins with a strong drawing.
I earned a BFA in Traditional Illustration and later an MFA in Illustration with an emphasis in Concept Art. That combination still reflects the way I work today. I’m equally comfortable with pencil, brush, airbrush, or stylus, and I move freely between traditional and digital processes depending on what best serves the image.
Drawing has always been the foundation. I came up through traditional illustration and graffiti, where line, shape, lettering, and character mattered. Over the years, that foundation has expanded into watercolor, acrylic, airbrush, mixed media, digital painting, graphic design, and large-scale commercial work. Whatever the medium, I value craftsmanship, strong draftsmanship, and the evidence of the human hand.
Storytelling is the other half of my work. I’m drawn to mythology, music, folklore, character, and the small details that suggest a larger world beyond the edges of an image. Sometimes the story is obvious. Sometimes it lives in an expression, an object tucked into the background, or an Easter egg that only the particularly observant viewer will ever notice.
Sagasmed means “story smith,” a name inspired by my Swedish heritage and the way I approach illustration. Like any craft, a story is built: drawn, shaped, revised, and worked until it becomes something worth putting into the world.
Forge & Fable is where those two sides meet: craftsmanship and storytelling.
When I’m not making pictures, there’s a good chance I’m playing bass, listening to something funky, bluesy, or considerably louder, working on my century-old house, or being supervised by a small committee of dachshunds.
And, inevitably, I’m probably drawing something.