Local artist captures the spirit of Anaheim for Ducks fans
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As hockey fans flooded into the Honda Center to watch the Anaheim Ducks face off against the New York Rangers, they grabbed an exclusive T-shirt at the door.
“Oh cool, I would actually wear this!” remarked one man, holding up his prize.
The T-shirts were given to the first 10,000 fans attending the March 28 game and were designed by local artist Gustavo “Gus” Jaimes, in collaboration with Visit Anaheim, which sponsored the away jerseys for Ducks and hosted the game as an Anaheim Pride night.
When it comes to the city’s pride, there isn’t a better representative than Jaimes. A lifelong Anaheim resident and “neighbor of Disneyland,” Jaimes is familiar with what makes Orange County’s oldest city a spirited community.
“I feel very connected to Anaheim. As a kid, I got to know different parts of Anaheim very well from my whole family living in the area,” Jaimes said.
His parents’ business, La Herradura Western Wear on South Euclid Street, is an Anaheim institution that sells Stetson hats, Levis and cowboy boots influenced by the ranch his mother grew up on in Zacatecas. Jaimes remembers when the Ducks first came to Anaheim as an expansion team in the 1993-94 season and he grew up attending games. He also frequented Angels Stadium and Disneyland and had a formative experience working at Chain Reaction, a popular live music venue for all ages on Lincoln Avenue.
“Chain Reaction is where I feel like I found myself; it was a coming of age place for me,” said Jaimes. “I was fortunate enough to see so many great bands there and work there for eight years.”
Today Jaimes is a tattoo artist at Anaheim’s Torch Tattoo and a graphic illustrator whose art is inspired by his passions and hobbies. Hockey, coffee, music and his Mexican heritage are all found in his artworks. He implored the same sensibilities in his exclusive T-shirt design that reflects the artist’s homegrown pride, retro tattoo style and Anaheim Duck fandom.
The “Welcome to Anaheim” design reads like a vintage postcard, with the Anaheim Packing House, the Ferris wheel at Disney’s California Adventure and other landmarks visible in the thick block letters. A ripe orange sits at the top, the lettering is below it, and Ducks mascot Wild Wing waves an orange pennant cheering “Let’s go Ducks!!!”
“There are a lot of historical buildings in Anaheim and I am a very nostalgic person, in general,” said Jaimes. “I always love to pay tribute to the past with eyes on the future. The Ducks are taking the team and the city in an incredible direction and I feel lucky to be part of it.”
Jaimes said he is looking forward to seeing fans wearing the shirt around town, but it won’t be the first time he’s seen residents sporting his work. He has participated in other collaborations on behalf of the city before, including the 100th anniversary of Anaheim’s Halloween Parade in 2024 and partnering with the Anaheim Ducks for the team’s Día de Muertos celebrations by designing merchandise for the occasion.
“Partnerships like this is what Visit Anaheim is all about — it’s the local stories and the community members like Gus who make Anaheim such a vibrant place to be,” said Mike Waterman, chief executive officer of Visit Anaheim.
The connections Jaimes has made in the community and his special understanding of the city make him a popular choice for collaboration.
“I have met almost everyone that is important in my life here — whether they are people in bands or they play hockey or work for the city or they have opened up records stores — I have had the chance to be a part of it or help in some way, especially if they needed artwork,” Jaimes said. “I have been fortunate that people ask me to help them design stuff, so this community means a lot to me.”
At the game, Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken posed for a quick picture with Jaimes and the Ducks T-shirt she’d been given.
“When we promote local artists, we are promoting different voices within our community,” said Aitken. “At a hockey game, like we are at today, you can see fans come from everywhere. Different cultures, different religions, different backgrounds. What better way to represent what hockey is than to have artists come out and share their interpretation about what it means to be an Anaheim Ducks fan?”
Another boon for Anaheim pride: Mason McTavish managed to score 59 seconds into overtime, giving the Ducks a 5-4 win over the Rangers.
With or without home team wins, Jaimes said he hopes people can recognize the good spirit he finds in the Anaheim community.
“I just want people to see what I see,” he said.
