FINDING PURPOSE IN THE REPURPOSED
AN INTERVIEW WITH ANDREANNA RIVERA
Art. From bold and bright colors that have been intricately guided across a canvas to create a masterpiece to the rich and textured edges of a sculpture, art comes in many different shapes and sizes. To most people, art is a big and bold array of colors and shapes that are put up in a museum for others to observe. However, art can be found in the most unconventional places and take on more forms than we could imagine. Andreanna Rivera is one such artist who can see past the exterior and change a forgotten item into her own transformative masterpiece.
Even as a child, Andreanna had already begun to dabble in art. As a middle child with three other siblings who all had their own interests and hobbies, Andreanna wanted a niche to call her own. This desire birthed her love of art, mainly drawing flowers. Art became her distinct thing. “It was the thing that was only mine. This is something that no one was doing.” By watching various YouTube tutorials, Andreanna deepened her love of creating things by crocheting items like bunnies and dolls. When showing these creations to her family, she realized that she had a talent. She thrived off of gifting her loved ones and friends paintings and crocheted items she made.
While she is a jack-of-all trades when it comes to art, her current style of art is sculpting. Specifically, she specializes in fibers and textiles that she repurposes, many of which have lately been turned into geographical locations. Per her written artist statement, “My work encourages a dialogue between material and meaning, demonstrating beauty can emerge from the most unlikely places.” Through forgotten and unused items, she is able to challenge people’s perceptions by transforming them into something entirely new and beautiful.
Just like her art, Andreanna’s creative process defies the normal assumptions that many have about how an artist operates. Due to her unique work with textiles, one of Andreanna’s main sources of creative inspiration comes from the thrift store. “I walk in and look around me and it’s almost like they are lighting up around me. Like that has potential and that has potential. I can make something out of that.” Everything from a belt to a random forgotten scarf can be used to create an entirely new piece that takes on a life of its own. From there, Andreanna uses bits and pieces of various materials to build and craft her vision into a tangible piece.
Andreanna’s passions do not end at the world of art and sculpting, however. Another passion that she is pursuing is a degree in psychology with the goal of becoming a behavioral therapist. “I didn’t want my art to be my main income because I felt like I was going to hate it. By pursuing both passions, she hopes to retain her love of art by not making it her primary career goal. Her main goal with art includes having a small local studio and being able to invest in the lives of other aspiring artists. Andreanna’s long-term goals consist of getting to work with people and make an impact on them. “I want to make small community impacts and live and do what I love. I don’t necessarily want that huge name.”
When asked what the biggest piece of advice she had for current artists was, her answer was simple: “Don’t give up so easily and enjoy the process of it, not just the end result.” It can be easy to give up on a piece of art that is not deemed worthy or good enough in our own minds. Andreanna shared that she has many pieces that she has disregarded or moved on from for various reasons. Those pieces, however, don’t stop her from continuing to create. Andreanna’s response to the frustrated or discouraged artist is a statement of comfort. “A lot of people get frustrated because the end product doesn’t look good. Sometimes you have to embrace the process of it. If you keep doing it, you will get better at it.”
By taking the forgotten and making them new, Andreanna is able to showcase her talent for finding the beauty in things that most would overlook. Not only does she want to showcase her talents to the world, but also to inspire people and speak to them through her art. “I want to inspire people to take a second look at the things around them. They have a lot more potential than you think they have.” This message and mission radiates off every work Andreanna creates. Her talent and passion are channeled into challenging our initial perceptions of materials in an inventive and approachable way.
