The Stories Behind the Art - Robert Rivera, Bryce Pettit, Roberto Ugalde
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Time to read 3 min
Explore. Discover. Connect.
Art is about exploration, discovery, and connections. And behind every great piece of art or jewelry is a story. When we know more about the inspiration behind the imagery and design seen in that art, we feel a deeper connection to what we're adorning our lives with. For the artist, perhaps it was a specific experience, a location, a memory. It could be the medium, the precious metals, or gemstones that influenced the final creation. Learning these stories makes that piece of art more meaningful. Remember ...
Artists are constantly ...
Exploring new influences and techniques
Discovering something new about themselves and about their artistry
Making connections between personal and cultural history, between traditional and contemporary methods
Art Lovers are always ...
Exploring the works of various artists, new and established
Looking to make a discovery that moves them
Personally connecting to a painting, a sculpture, an intricately handcrafted piece of jewelry
At Sorrel Sky we ...
Value being part of those moments of exploration
Appreciate how it feels to discover something special
Understand the meaning of connections
This installment of our continuing, The Stories Behind the Art series, will explore a fine art gourd mask by Robert Rivera, a sculpture from Bryce Pettit, and a painting by Roberto Ugalde. If you missed the one that focused on Loren Nicole's one-of-a-kind jewelry, here's a quick link!
Robert Rivera shares the story behind Red Buffalo Mask ...
"This piece has various elements, all from nature. The mask itself is a gourd that I sandblasted to reveal the patterns under the outer layer. The horns are real buffalo horns, which I believe honors the spirit of these powerful animals. The pendant celebrates the Anasazi method of using pitch to add elements, giving it an older handcrafted look. The thunderbird itself has turquoise, mother of pearl, abalone, and coral.
I don’t name my pieces, often the title is a simple description. My preference is for people to use their imagination and create their own connection with a piece of my gourd art, giving it a name if they wish, or not." — Robert Rivera
Robert's designs transform the humble gourd into fine art ... into objects of beauty, power, and symbolism. Read how Robert started using gourds as his medium.
"In this piece, I wanted the eagle to feel dynamic, full of action. The title, Critical Angle, refers to the challenges I faced when creating this piece. After trying out various ideas, I included the salmon. It balances the eagle visually and technically. Finding that perfect angle, the lateral and vertical motion that is happening at that moment, balanced with the salmon, at the same time showing the powerful stroke of his wings ... hopefully, it gives people the sense of the excitement that is experienced when we get to see a bald eagle in nature." — Bryce Pettit
Pairing each piece down to the minimum necessary to tell the story, Bryce creates art that captures the intensity of movement, heightening the impact of the form. Enjoy this video of Bryce talking about the meaning behind the various symbols he includes on his bronze sculpture near his signature. Bryce can be seen in the opening photo of this blog, enjoying the outdoors in his beloved Colorado.
Roberto Ugalde shares the story behind Trail to Maroon Bells ...
"Early one October, I arrived in Taos, New Mexico, after driving all day from Texas. That evening, I noticed some snow in the mountains. A friend told me it was snowing in Aspen, Colorado, and that there were still leaves on the trees. So I got up very early the next day and drove to Aspen, hoping to find some amazing views. The following morning I was up early again, and as the sun was coming out, I was crazy ... going from one place to another, trying my best to find the best spot to take pictures. While hiking on the side of the mountains, looking through the aspen, I could see Maroon Bells. It was awesome and I took a few pictures from that amazing viewing spot. I hope this piece captures what I saw that day." — Roberto Ugalde
Aspen trees and the many ways light plays through their leaves and bodies are inspirations for Roberto's art and often the main subjects of his vivid paintings.
