| Buell: Riva Sweetrocket |
| Written by Ken Hamel | |||
Riva Sweetrocket: Heaven and EarthBuell TheatreSeptember 21, 2009 - January 1, 2010
 Riva Sweetrocket in her studio, circa 2007 - photo by Ken Hamel/DenverArts.org Plus Gallery artist Riva Sweetrocket will have a variety of her exquisite, detailed pastel on paper creations on display within the Buell Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, but the only way to see the show is as a ticketed patron at a Buell event, so be sure to catch the public viewing coming up on Monday evening (September 21) so you can get a peek for free. Be sure to check out Riva's website at http://rivasweetrocket.com for images of her latest work. - KLH (from the press release) Artist Statement: The imagery in this show speaks to the majesty of nature and human existence. Often these two elements are in opposition to each other, but in ideal conditions they complement one another. This is the balance I hope to achieve in my paintings. I’m using only hands, legs and feet to suggest a human presence and there are two reasons for this. First, these body parts, when isolated, have a visual simplicity that I feel works well for me compositionally, and second, they suggest a human element without specifying identity. This anonymity allows the viewer to make each piece uniquely their own. (Complete artist statement attached). About the Artist: Denver artist Riva Sweetrocket creates immaculately executed works on paper utilizing soft pastels, a medium not normally associated with contemporary art. Her work can be characterized by its indulgence in rich, vivid color, surreal compositions of everyday objects and allegorical narratives. The surfaces of her paintings are luscious and realistic. They engage viewers and almost physically lure them into the work. The scale of her works allow the viewer to experience them like architecture – being completely surrounded by its colors and ideas. Sweetrocket’s paintings are a tour de force of symbolic imagery and unparalleled technical skill. With each new painting she pushes further into advanced visual realms, creating singular imagery of breathtaking beauty dosed in both the mundane and magical. Sweetrocket was born in Oregon in 1969 and has been drawing and painting since she could walk. She received a B.A. is psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1994, but abandoned the field shortly thereafter for her true love: art. Although she has had extensive art course work, Sweetrocket is essentially self-taught as an artist. She has been working in pastel on paper since 1998 and her huge iconic images have the feel of oil paintings. Sweetrocket has received numerous awards and artistic recognition from a very young age. Her 2008 Plus Gallery exhibition Handle With Care was chosen as one of Denver’s Top Ten Art Shows of 2008 by The Denver Post. She is represented exclusively by Plus Gallery, 2501 Larimer St., Denver, CO. Images of her work may be viewed online at www.rivasweetrocket.com and www.plusgallery.com.
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