Track #2 by The Lost Abbey

Fifteen years ago, then surf-artist Sean Dominguez was a regular at the Solana Beach Pizza Port. When the brewpub expanded to Carlsbad, Dominguez’ hometown, he got to know owners Gina and Vince Marsaglia. “From there on, they would have me create designs for their beers,” Dominguez says.

In 2006, the Marsaglias founded Port Brewing Co. along with Tomme Arthur and Jim Comstock; then, Arthur founded The Lost Abbey line of Belgian-inspired beers. Dominguez was along for the ride.

“We started with the cross and went from there,” he says, referring to The Lost Abbey’s signature Celtic cross logo.

His most recent label, Track #2, was created for the brewery’s series of beers inspired by rock anthems. The label actually started with Arthur’s idea to depict “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Guns N’ Roses, but morphed into Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” during the brewing process. (“There was actually a door there, but I painted it out,” adds Dominguez.)

In the ink and acrylic painting, the bright white and yellow clouds converge on the textured surface where St. Peter stands, greeting the Heaven hopefuls.

“It has an escalator leading to the pearly gates of Heaven. We have St. Peter checking his book on who’s accepted to the Kingdom of God or dropped off to the rickety old stairs falling into Hell. Some people have money or gold trying to buy their way, but it’s not working,” Domingeuz says.

He describes the aesthetic as “old-style biblical,” but with “a little twist and humor,” like the escalator, the roped-off entrance and the characterizations of the people in line.

Dominguez’ portfolio includes “all the labels for The Lost Abbey, Port Brewing Co. and most for all the Pizza Ports here Southern California,” as well as projects for Latitude 33 and Breakwater Brewing.

“My goal is to make it enjoyable and tell a story—that’s what makes The Lost Abbey so fun and challenging. It takes me out of the box,” he says. “It’s fun to jump from the surfy beach theme of [Port Brewing Co.] and Pizza Port to the more Heaven-and-Hell story stuff of The Lost Abbey.”

Dominguez also works on shirts, logos and portraits, and just finished a mural in the tequila tasting room of Café Coyote in San Diego, but places high value on his beer label work.

“The passion to make good and interesting beer goes hand in hand with art world,” he says. “Especially if a brand spends time on the label, [it] usually spends time on the product.” ■