George Rivera

George Rivera

GEORGE RIVERA ARTIST STATEMENT
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Since the late 1970s I have chosen to focus on the human figure as the key theme in all of my work. The subject, themes and ideas explore the human experience in life, past, present, and looking ahead. These themes are largely autobiographical, but and most importantly utilize many metaphors in depicting my experiences, reflections and perspectives about life. Examples of these paths are depicted in works that convey a sense of capturing oneself in solitary moments of reflection, pain, peace, emotional challenges, indecision, fear, guilt, indifference, self-inflicted silence, and expectations. Second, in the realm of relationships and the vast experiences which affect them and those close individuals around them who are also affected by these situations. Third and most recent, the global impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic and the rippling effect on our global communities, from individuals to our societies at large, everyone has been affected and the impact changed everything.

The subjects depicted in my work are friends, relatives, and my own self- portraits. Even the models who work with me are colleagues and friends. I find this connection and comfort of trust to be essential to my work since most of the themes are reflective of my own experiences, feelings, and observations. The people who work with me have a strong sense of what I am trying to share and accomplish. We discuss what my ideas and intent are about, and we share openly our own journeys and experience. The people who model and work with me are very important to my work, they bring their own experiences, honesty, and understanding of what we are trying to share and express.
“…in the private isolated moments, when we have to face our demons, whatever they may be, real or self-imposed, these are the conflicts and moments of indecision, pain, and confrontations of life which I share through my work.”

As I have continued to explore the depths and complexities of relationships in our lives I have become more aware of the quieter more subtle shades in life and the impact on my work. In this journey I have found more and more similar experiences and connections with others, both in the past and present, the gray areas in human experiences and life, the fleeting moments, not dark or light… just life.
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GEORGE RIVERA BIOGRAPHY

George Rivera, M.A., is the former museum of art Executive Director & Senior Curator, at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara. Rivera was with the Triton Museum of Art since 1985, before stepping down from his position in July 2013. Prior to the Triton, Rivera was the Executive Director & Curator of the San Jose Art League from 1982-1985. Rivera received his academic training in art for both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from San Jose State University.
Since 1977 he has organized and curated over 375 exhibitions including local, state, national and international projects, collaborating with small and major national museums, galleries and private collections. This includes developing, organizing, collaborating and overseeing in-house curated exhibitions that toured nationally in both museums and art centers.
As a juror of art Rivera has served as a solo juror or as a member of a panel of jurors for over 400 (1978 to the present) exhibitions and competitions of local, regional, statewide, national and international art programs, projects, fellowships, artist-in-residency programs and competitions.

Currently Rivera serves on the Advisory Boards of the Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA.; NUMU of Los Gatos, Los Gatos, CA.; and UC Berkeley Extension Post Bachelorette Art Degree Certificate Program.

He is an Associate Faculty Instructor of Art at Mission College in Santa Clara (1986 to the present) where he has taught drawing, design, color, life drawing, museum and gallery studies, air-brush painting and oil, acrylic and watercolor painting. He was an Art Instructor of life drawing, figure and portrait painting at the Pacific Art League in Palo Alto (1998-2008). Rivera teaches a life drawing/portrait and figure class throughout the year at the Triton Museum of Art School. In 2005 he began instructing a class at De Anza College in Cupertino for a course entitled Art Exhibition Analysis where he meets his students throughout the Bay Area at museums, art galleries and artist studios to discuss contemporary art. Currently an Extension Instructor of curatorial/art history studies for the University of California at Berkeley extension program (1996-2000, 2007 to the present), Rivera presents lectures of Bay Area Art history from 1945 to today throughout the region. Since 1979 he has taught art studio, art appreciation and introduction to the arts/art history classes at San Jose State University, San Jose Art League, Pacific Art league, UC Berkeley Extension, DeAnza College, Triton Museum of Art School and currently at Ohlone College, Fremont, CA. 2014 to present), and Mission College, Santa Clara, CA. (1986-present).

Committed to giving back to the art community, Rivera participates year-round in artist critiques to individual artists, students and art groups/clubs/associations and organizations, portfolio reviews and career counseling both in-person and online.

As an artist, Rivera has been included in over 200 exhibitions locally, nationally and internationally. Since 1974 his drawings, mixed media and paintings have been presented at art centers, galleries and museums. His work has been represented by art galleries including the Group 21 Gallery, Los Gatos; Freeman Gallery, Palo Alto; Branner-Spangenberg Gallery, Palo Alto; Sperling Gallery, San Jose; the Pope Gallery, Santa Cruz; Ebert Gallery, San Francisco; Michael Himovitz Gallery, Sacramento; d.p. Fong Galleries, San Jose; Washington Square/Togonon Gallery, San Francisco, and now currently with the Sandra Lee Art Gallery, San Francisco.

Locally his drawings and paintings have been presented at the San Jose Museum of Art; the De Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University; Haggin Museum of Art, Stockton, CA.; the Art Museum of Los Gatos; the Euphrat Museum of Art, De Anza College, Cupertino, CA.; the Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA.; National Steinbeck Center, Salinas, CA.; DeYoung Museum, San Francisco, CA.; Peninsula Museum of Art, Burlingame, CA.; Villa Montalvo Center for the Arts, Saratoga, CA.; Olive Hyde Art Gallery, Fremont, CA.; Union Art Gallery San Jose State University, ICA Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA.; WORKS/San Jose, MACLA San Jose, CA.; the San Jose Art Center; Michael Rosenthal Gallery, San Francisco, CA., among others.
In 2012 there was a 30 year survey of his paintings and drawings at the Art Museum of Los Gatos. This solo exhibition featured a publication with an introduction and essays by art historians Preston Metcalf and Helayna Thickpenny and by Catherine Politopulus, Curator of Art at the Art Museum of Los Gatos. In 2013 Rivera was featured in multiple two person exhibitions with his wife Kristin Lindseth Rivera at the Morris Graves Museum of Art, Eureka, CA. and the Sandra Lee Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA.

Rivera has fifteen (15) paintings and drawings included in Museum Permanent Collections: Monterey Museum of Art, Monterey, CA.; Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara,CA; NUMU of Los Gatos, Los Gatos, CA.; Morris Graves Museum of Art, Eureka, CA.; and the Peninsula Museum of Art, Burlingame, CA and Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Ciudad Acuna, Mexico (MACCA).

Rivera and his wife Kristin contribute works of art for art auctions, fund-raisers and gallery/museum events throughout the year in support of community art programs throughout the Greater Bay Area. Since 1978 he has produced numerous commissioned portraits of many of this region’s community leaders as well as general portraits and commissioned work.

Rivera has been a recipient of numerous awards in the field of art, art education, curating, arts administration and community service, including annual recognition in the 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th and current editions of Who’s Who in American Art, and in 2005 was selected annually into Who’s Who in America 60th and 61st edition. Twice he has been nominated by peers and colleagues for the prestigious Fleishhacker Foundation Artist Award. In 2013 Rivera was honored with the 2013 Artist Laureate Award Legacy Laureate from the Arts Council Silicon Valley. He also received a Proclamation from the City of Santa Clara in recognition of this award.

As an arts writer his works have been published throughout the Bay Area including museum/gallery publications, catalogs and brochures, and he was an art reviewer and contributing editor for Artistwriter publication.

Rivera also served as a host of INSIDE ART! A South Bay televised art program produced by award-winning and exhibiting artist Sandra Beard that was presented on public television community access channels throughout the area and which focused on the art of the South Bay Area region. This program featured artists, alternative art spaces and art programs from throughout the South Bay Area.

Besides his activities as an art administrator, instructor of art, faculty member and artist Rivera has and continues to serve on numerous art/community boards and advisory board/committees for non-profit organizations and educational programs throughout the Bay Area. Both Kristin and George share their knowledge and experience in assisting artists, art clubs and community art programs throughout the region in person and online.

Email: Tritongeorge@aol.com
Instagram: georgeriverazorro
Facebook: GeorgeRivera