Ceramics, as it does for many, was an art form that Rivera instantly knew he wanted to explore once he had been introduced to it. He explained that, “My dad was always great at drawing and was my first artistic influence. I always thought I would draw for a living until I stepped foot in a ceramics class my freshman year of high school. That was all I needed and I was hooked! I haven’t looked back!” Rivera continued his education and exploration of the art form, receiving his BFA in Ceramics and Sculpture from The University of Minnesota-Duluth, completing the MN NICE Certificate program at Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, completing a long-term residency at The Clay Studio of Missoula in Montana, and acting as the current studio potter at Clay Coyote in Hutchinson, Minnesota. Rivera pulls from many different points of inspiration to create pieces that reflect his personal identity and said that, “I’ve explored a lot of historical references like pre-Columbian ceramics, Mexican printmakers, and traditional food. Most recently I have been including more contemporary influences like blackletter typeface (Old English) referencing Chicano culture and learning what it means to be Mexican American”. Having both Mexican and American heritage, Rivera creates work that embodies what it means to be both and the interplay that occurs between two very unique cultures; “This body of work is representative of my Mexican heritage and personal culture. My work is inspired by pre-Columbian forms, 19th century Mexican printmakers, and personal experience. I reference pre-Columbian forms as a connection to my ancestors and to bring to light a deeply misunderstood aspect of history. Printmakers like Jose Guadalupe Posada and Manuel Manilla were a very important aspect of Mexican history. They used imagery to inform a largely illiterate population and helped propel the Mexican revolution. My use of skeleton imagery is rooted in my culture, a reference to these pivotal printmakers, and a characterization of death. Mexican culture looks at death very differently than American culture. Death is recognized and embraced by Mexico but feared and not spoken of in the United States. I have struggled with anxiety related to death and this work functions to connect myself and others with Mexican ideals surrounding it”.

Rivera explained that while he hasn’t faced much adversity in this industry thus-far, he is fully aware of the struggle that comes with turning your artist passions into a living, but he encourages other artists to do what fulfills their dreams; “I have been so lucky to have such supportive family and communities surrounding me in my time. Fortunately I haven’t had to face much adversity in the world of ceramics. I understand that I also do have privilege as a male and being mixed, a part of my ethnicity is white. I try to navigate our community, understanding I have this privilege. I think the hardest thing is creating a living out of something I love so much. Most artists would agree that living on a little is commonplace within the community. I hope that anyone who wants to pursue a career in ceramics is encouraged to and doing something you love is very fulfilling!” Rivera hopes to inspire other artists to create that art that is a true reflection of themselves: “I hope to inspire other artists by making work that is genuine and true to myself. I want everyone to feel as though they can be genuinely themselves no matter what. It’s something that I struggle with often and my work helps me get there. I use my work as an extension of myself, but also as a tool to teach myself about my own culture and values. If there was one take away when someone reads my artist statement and looks at my work, I would hope it would inspire them to be introspective and take a look at what makes them who they are. (Culture, heritage, family, history…etc). I believe that if everyone were more in touch with their history and where they came from, we would be better off as a whole because of it”. Rivera also encourages themselves to take a look at all of the things that make them who they are and says he would ask them, “Where do you come from? What are your roots? How did your family come here? It doesn’t matter if you are white, brown, black etc. Get in touch with who you are and everyone that came before you. If we all take a moment to live through our ancestors’ struggles and triumphs we can appreciate how we got here, not take it for granted, and relate to everyone around you. We are all more similar than most people realize”. Rivera has found a way to masterfully navigate through the concepts surrounding identify to create incredible work that invites the viewer to take a closer look at his inspirations. His gorgeous work shows a flair for adding modern twists to historical inspirations, and this industry will wait in earnest to see the next stage in Andrew Rivera’s artistic journey.