We had the good fortune of connecting with Ana Teresa Rivera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ana Teresa, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Moving to Los Angeles and leaving everyone that I knew was a great risk for me. Surprisingly, the environment wasn’t too much of a cultural shock as was being on my own. I remember my first day of class at Concept Design Academy; I wasn’t sure how to enter the classroom, how to engage with others or if I was even welcomed in the classroom. It was the same living with roommates I hadn’t met before moving; they didn’t know me and I didn’t know them but we were going to share spaces from now on. I had never lived away from my parents house, but it was rather the silence in the apartment what impacted me, specially during quarantine. The fact that I had no family on this side of the continent was quite risky. It never crossed my mind until a year later, but because I was determined to reach the next level of my education and start a career, it blinded me of everything else.
I believe risk is a circumstance that some have to take, not all, to reach a goal. It makes you a more determined individual. I make decisions in terms of risk, and I believed I could take this one. Quarantine changed a lot of my reality, but I don’t regret anything.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am always intrigued by the macabre and the obscure. I believe I draw my own darkness out into my work as a form of therapy and I want others to see it. I grew up in a catholic household, so morbid imagery wasn’t uncommon as death is directly linked with life. The traditions of the catholic church to preserve bodies of their saints and the language of its artifacts, as well as the imagery of chapels, is the main motivator of my art as it is now, and I’m just getting started. The scientific aspects of anatomy and the human body always intrigued me and recently I have been able to take my art towards representing it. Seeing my work, I feel I haven’t even scratched the surface of the themes and imagery I want to explore, but as I’m limited by my own technical abilities right now, I am constantly in the search of something new to learn. At 26 years old, I am still taking classes to learn as much as possible and enter the competitive artistic arena.
On the other hand, I am trying to sharpen my designing skills. Characters intrigue me and are always the center of my paintings and other projects. Working with others and their stories gives me a sense of purpose in my daily life, especially when they hire me due to my obscure artistic preference.

I’ve been painting since I was 5 years old, so practically my entire life. My parents took me to Saturday art classes for years and I later enrolled in the Escuela Central de Artes Visuales. Then I earned my bachelor’s degree at the Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico, where many social and environmental challenges arouse including school strikes, and two hurricanes, the latter being Maria which kept me without electricity for 4 months. After I graduated, I moved to LA where I was always in survival mode. I enrolled in several courses in Concept Design Academy where I really felt I was learning everything my fine arts degree dismissed, and I was in a hurry to catch up with others. I developed faster in Los Angeles than in my last years in Puerto Rico, but I feel that I needed to be where I was at the time just to meet my wonderful friends.

When the pandemic hit, my school transitioned online, but I was able to keep working on my gigs since I already worked at a distance. My apartment emptied and the isolation became extremely palpable. I’ve learned to treasure the present more, even when the anxiety about the future is always looming like a dark cloud. After spending so much time alone during quarantine, I’ve come to appreciate the people living with me and around me as I realize they are an essential part of my mental health.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I have had several friends and my sister come over and I took them to some of my favorite places. I would start with Americana at Brand where you can sit outside and see the scenery and the people. During Christmas, there is a beautiful view of the Christmas tree from the Barnes and Noble balcony. Then there’s the obligatory stop at In and Out, Porto’s and Donut Friend. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour, is very interesting and one of a kind, later we can chill at the Norton Simon Museum and walk through Colorado Ave in Pasadena where we stop for a bite. It is always an exciting experience to walk down Colorado during New Year’s Eve and see the streets filled with families throwing shaving cream, silly string, and marshmallows at passing cars as it is the yearly tradition there. The next morning, we can see The Rose Parade, later find a random bar to play some board games, go to The Last Book Store in Downtown, and later visit Griffith Park to see the Los Angeles sunset. I personally haven’t gotten the chance to see Santa Monica Pier or The Getty, but I will after the pandemic ends.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family, who if it weren’t for them this journey couldn’t have been possible. They moved me in and helped on every step of the way, because when I asked for a hand they gave me an arm. Karla Ortiz, the Obi-Wan to my Luke, who pointed the way and believes in me when I don’t believe in my self. I also want to give a shoutout to Diego Molano for giving me a chance. Finally Paul Salamoff for nominating me.

Website: https://anariverart.wixsite.com/mysite/illustration

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anariverart/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-rivera-0b379374/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnaRiverart

Other: Artstation: anariverart.artstation.com

Image Credits
Portrait of Ana Teresa Rivera by Sebastian Rivera Fuentes.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.