The depiction of whatever subject I paint always goes beyond the literal, onto a personal and imaginative interpretation. This result I hope, is the final expression of my “ minds eye”, my subconcious mind coming out, free flowing. Attaining this state is not always easy for an artist, but when it is reached, I believe creativity is at its best.

Each of my paintings undergoes a creative process which has taken much time, thought and work. This process of putting a personal statement on a blank canvas is a challenge that I welcome.

Through this process, I have kept the viewer in mind and it is my wish that he will become a collaborative partner in the appreciation of art.

R.G. Rivera

Rivera’s art is a dynamic, graceful exploration of color and form. The urban environments and abstract tendencies of his work are an exciting contribution to the development of Chicano abstract art. Finding inspiration in the diversity of his personal heritage and the vibrancy of Los Angeles, Rivera produces paintings that capture the energy and flux of a contemporary cosmology. Through his witty use of space and perspective, he invites the viewer to mine his canvases for their essential and undiluted ambition. Working primarily in acrylics, there is a consistent, lush use of colors that are organized in a succinct compositional order. Spatial order is used as a foundation for rich textures and a dialogue of design that is architectural in its candor. Rivera’s work recalls that of Mexican painter Rufino Tamayo (1899-1991), who translated his own regard for Mexican folk art and ceramics ino an abstract approach that was an important counterpoint to Rivera, Orozco, and Siqueiros. Like Tamayo, Rivera is not preoccupied with explicit communication but works instead for a self-contained integrity. The bold works that result are a completion of this purpose, creating art that is intimate without becoming inaccessible.

Joaquin Alvarado, Gary D. Keller, authors
Contemporary Chicana and Chicano Art

Robert G. Rivera’s paintings call to the viewer to explore them. Monumental and still on their surface, they are yet fluid and changing. Though not representational in a traditional sense, images emerge clearly to tell a story that everyone will interpret just a little differently. The eternal play of life, death and rebirth is captured in his expressive use of color and symbolism, bold one moment and surprisingly subtle the next. The intricate application of texture adds even more depth and complexity to his work, evoking the pulse and flow of nature.

Robert combines reverence for the artistic traditions of hispanic culture with a very personal, modern flair that can be appreciated by all viewers. He creates timeless images which suggest the universal dynamic of opposites: order and chaos, male and female, the rigid and the exuberant . . . and all find a balance.

Jane Hudson
Art Patron