Quezon City-based independent visual artist Richelle Rivera is one of the 25 Filipino women artists worldwide whose works were showcased at the La Mode En Moi (Fashion In Me) exhibit in St. Germain-des-Prés in Paris, France, in October.

She went with a handpainted Filipiniana featuring the paintings of her favorite views from places she traveled to namely Bulacan, New York City, and Paris, and a recreated Mona Lisa with Filipiniana.

“One of the reasons I painted Mona Lisa [was] because lately kasi there [are] a lot of activists who threw food or drink sa kanyang glass doon sa Paris… Maybe this is just a wake-up call for other people to respect art and our advocacy without hurting other people’s feelings and the artists [themselves] and then ‘yung mga [susunod na] generation pa,” she says.

[“One of the reasons I painted Mona Lisa was because lately, there are a lot of activists who threw food or drink in the glass of the painting’s frame in Paris… Maybe this is just a wake-up call for other people to respect art and our advocacy without hurting other people’s feelings and the artists themselves, and then the next generation.”]

It was 20 years ago when Rivera saw Mona Lisa, her symbol of feminism, for the first time in a book on Leonardo da Vinci’s artworks. Having been amazed and mesmerized by her beauty, she told herself she would recreate da Vinci’s masterpiece to pay tribute to him as the artist and remind people to respect art. Now, her word came to pass beautifully in time.

Having earned a degree in Architecture, she looks up to da Vinci the most. More than just a painter, renowned classical artist da Vinci was an engineer, architect, inventor, and cartographer who revolutionized art and science during the Renaissance. Upon learning about da Vinci, she was introduced to classical art which inspired her artistic style.

Besides drawing inspiration from classical art artists, including the Grand Old Man of Philippine Art Fernando Amorsolo, Rivera turns to nature and traveling to create something refreshing that draws her viewers in. For her, artists need to bask in the sun and take in their surroundings to get their creative juices flowing.

“As an artist, you need to go out. You cannot make your own inside your home. I feel like I’m in a box for the longest time. Just go out and explore and try to incorporate that [into] your work. [You will see the] outcome and then you’ll become happy,” she says.

Most importantly, her own experiences shaped her art into what it is today. As a mental health advocate who was personally comforted and delighted by creating art, she paints landscapes—a mix of realism and impressionism—to also soothe and uplift her viewers.

“I have this first landscape that I did and [while I was working on it], I feel relaxed. And one of my clients [said], ‘You know when I’m staring at your painting, I feel like I’m relaxed.’ Because it’s like therapy. I really love nature and you will see that I have a lot of travel videos,” she says.

Before becoming a full-time visual artist, Rivera first got her hands busy on her architectural journey. After graduating from the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, she went to Manila to continue her apprenticeship. She worked with construction workers and firms, engineers, and subcontractors for over a decade but like most people, she felt like something was missing.

“Sabi ko, ‘Lord, why am I feeling like this? May hinahanap ba ako na hindi ko alam?’ Pero I know in the back of my mind, meron akong gustong gawin,” she says.

[“I said, ‘Lord, why am I feeling like this? Am I searching for something that I don’t even know about?’ But I know, at the back of my mind, that I want to do something.”]

In 2020, art became her number one pursuit. The pandemic provided her an opportunity to step away from the demands of the 8-6 life, allowing her to embrace rest and silence. During these times, she discovered that true healing often comes from these divine moments, a theme that is deeply reflected in her art.

Besides landscapes, Rivera’s forte is portraits. She uses acrylic, gouache, and watercolor but prefers oil most of the time. To gain better knowledge of the field, she had the opportunity to study at the New York School of the Arts.

In 2022, she had her first solo show, “I Found Happiness”, at ARTablado, Robinsons Galleria. Since then, her works have been displayed locally and beyond, including various features from local mainstream and international print and broadcasting media.

In the summer of 2024, she opened a new art workshop, “Art Workshop by Richelle Rivera”, to pass on her artistic knowledge and inspire the next generation of visual artists.

She also facilitated a painting session at Gotham, New York, and the American Dream Mall in New Jersey, USA, in December 2023.

With a heart that recognizes the beauty of God’s perfect timing and the purpose behind everything, she aims to study Fine Arts and continue building her legacy by blending the two passions that define her: art and architecture.

“I will continue my craft as a full-time artist but I really wanted to go back [into] architecture. I’m not really closing that door, I just closed it in the meantime. [Whatever God has given me,] I’m just accepting it,” she says.

Earlier this year, she made her appearance on the iconic billboard at Times Square, New York, as one of the 100 Female Artists of the World, solidifying her impact on the contemporary art scene and highlighting her role as a strong advocate for women empowerment.

Photo Courtesy of Richelle Rivera