Meet Joe Rivera

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joe Rivera. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joe below.

Hi Joe, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

My work ethic comes out of necessity, survival, my parents, my clients, and my self-care.

Growing up, my father was an extremely hard worker. He held his regular job, yet he was also working on projects around the house, doing side work for people he knew, or helping family members with their projects. I helped him from time to time and watched this first hand.

I work on artworks every day. No matter where I am or what I am doing, at some point in the day, I am sketching or painting. This is could be a commission with a specific deadline, an exhibition piece, an artwork for my Etsy shop, or just a gift.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I create portraits (people, pets, sports, and fitness), special moments, figures (nude, semi-nude, suggestive, and sensual), using acrylic markers on cradled board, loose canvas, or stretched canvas.

My style is not really classified. Some consider it Pop Art. Others consider it a form of abstract art. My art deals in high contrast. Either using vibrant color combinations, subtle combinations, or black and white to create intense light and shadow pieces.

Art has saved my life. In my darkest moments, when everyone or everything is gone, I always have my ability to make art. It is not a hobby, or a side gig. It is my life. It is my therapy. It is my escape.

Art making is my chance to create something out of nothing. It is my chance to take a moment or person in someone’s life and immortalize it as artwork. That drives me to always make.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Three things that helped me are that you should look at things outside the box, do what you have to to get what you want, and be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

What i am learning, and being constantly told, is to give yourself grace. Understand you are human and humans are not perfect.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

My ideal client is one who either has a clear vision of what they want (within the contexts of my unique style) or is open to exploring within the framework of their idea. Either way, they should be excellent at communicating and not afraid to give and take constructive criticism or varying ideas. Conversations are important.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joeriveravisualart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joeriveraart
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/joeriveravisualart