Artist of the Issue: Araceli Rivas

Artist of the Issue: Araceli Rivas

By Faith Holland Posted: December 20, 2019

Art teacher Ms. Julia Topholm has chosen Araceli Rivas as Artist of the Issue. Rivas has blossomed with the art that she has done in the last three years. She has an amazing technique that can be seen in her pieces. She can take a childhood photo and turn it into a beautiful painting that is both aesthetically pleasing and technically excellent and has her style.

Topholm stated that Rivas does amazing work and Topholm enjoys observing her creative flow.

Rivas always places a story behind her work, which leads the piece strongly. The story can be different for every person but there is always something personal that incorporates a deep connection to her life.

“Araceli is a senior this year, her style has developed beyond any of my expectations,” said Topholm. “She is outstanding within the format of making portraits come to life on the canvas. You can look at any of Araceli’s pieces and tell that they are hers. Each art piece that Araceli does, continues to improve and impress.”

Topholm has high hopes for Rivas.

“If she chose to go into some sort of artistic field or be a professional artist, as much as a hard road it would be, I think she could be successful,” said Topholm.

When making her artwork, Araceli keeps artists that she loves and looks up to and political outlooks in mind.

“Whenever something messes up I try to incorporate it like Bob Ross. He says there are no accidents,” said Rivas.

The things that inspire Araceli are her family and politics. She is driven by the emotions in politics and she puts that into her work. Since there are a lot of emotions behind politics, it gives her a way to express her personal beliefs within her art.

Araceli was inspired by the creativity she saw first hand from someone she admires and tries to imitate in the pieces she creates, her aunt. Araceli’s aunt is the sole reason she sought to undertake the challenging forms of art she creates.

“My aunt is a really good artist and I was like I want to be like that,” said Rivas.

After seeing her aunt in action, she knew she would do anything to be an artist. Through perseverance and a, she got better. Her style quickly developed into what it is today. Using her aunt as inspiration, and according to Tophlom with determination, Araceli has now grown further than anything Topholm would have expected.

Rivas mainly works with watercolors and acrylics, she feels they are easy to manage and manipulate. Araceli works with graphite as well but leans toward painting more. Art is a distraction for Araceli making it easier for her to deal with everyday life.

“It’s like a distraction when I’m like high on emotions or whatever I draw to distract myself and good things happen out of that,” said Rivas.

There are a couple of artists that Araceli pulls from and looks up to.

“Jean Michel Basquiat is number one, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, and Kat Von D, I don’t like her as a person but I adore her art,” said Rivas.

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