Eduardo Rivera Jr.
Final Presentation_Comic Books
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I do not consider myself as an artist, but rather as a growing pond inhabited by amphibians called "experiences." What I strive for in my work is to have a better understanding of my relationship with the numerous oceans of the world; The oceans that built empires who's intelligence helped them create monoliths from simple stone; The oceans who prepare baby birds to leave the nest and fly into tomorrow. My journey as a student in the world of art has nevertheless been long standing, but it is only recently that I have grown ripe with fruit. The pursuits I chase today would have never been a fleeting thought in my past had it not been for the abruption of these ocean waves crashing against my core beliefs. Now wet with experience, making art grew from its mere show-hobby past times into my prioritized form of re-action; whether it be fine art, or digital design. Transforming what had been given to me, I give back by being an urban sketch artist.
This year's goal was to start developing a purpose outside of making art out of necessity and to do so for my own enrichment. History has always intrigued me and I and wanted to pursue a new history-based project using my skills as a fine artist. I took up the street art genre of urban sketching with the intent of learning more about the historical contexts of areas, buildings, and locations that I found interesting. But soon I found myself making work that imitated my idols but felt void of any real emotion. However, it did bring an audience and due to brief moments of artist exposure, I had quickly fallen into a trap of running a marathon i didn't truly sign up for. Slowly, I questioned why I even donned running shoes to begin with and lost touch sight of my original challenge which was to escape the toil of using art to survive. It was only then that I threw in the towel and turned to my father for advice. Following in his footsteps as a Journalist, I accompanied him to protests, public events, and news gatherings with the mindset of rekindling my art roots. It was then that photography became a key form of expression for me as it reminded me of the importance of forming bonds, making stories and sharing experiences. As a kid, my dad used to get me comic books of my favorite superheroes. I always dreamed of making my own someday to give back to the artists and media that made my childhood. Free from feelings of inadequacy and rejuvenated with a passion to create something from my heart, I choose my summer project this year to learn the basics of comic production and make a traditionally hand-drawn comic book or short graphic novel. My research spans across America and Japan as I learn about the techniques used to illustrate sequential art and how to do it the old fashioned way!
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