RIVY - BLÖG STÖRY

Pioneering, Aspiring and Introspective are just a few words which come to mind when trying to describe 19-year-old Rivy’s character. While at university in Leicester, the young multi-disciplinary artist has produced cover art for the likes of Elevation Meditation’s Finn Foxell, animations Nine8’s Nayana IZ and has attracted attention from UK heavyweight’s such as Pa Salieu and Sam Wise. Focussing on his preferred medium of illustration, Rivy adopts an almost caricature like style. Focussing mostly on the human form, Rivy accentuates certain bodily features to create disproportionate yet oddly realistic figures. The 19-year-old also commonly experiments with motion and movement to create almost 3 dimensional and life like drawings.
It is clear to anyone who has seen any of Rivy’s art that music plays a more than significant role in influencing his creativity. Portraits of underground hip hop artists, Apple Air pods and musical notes all make regular cameos across his art portfolio. Lord Apex, Kojey Radical and Feux are just a few of the names which came up in our discussions about inspiration and influence, alongside other creatives such as Samuel Ross (ACW) and Clint (Corteiz)(who soon after our shoot expressed his admiration of Rivy’s work).
Saying that Rivy is an artist is far from an understatement. From just one day together it is evident that art and creativity consumes his every thought and every action, from discussions about music, photography and fashion to outlines of his future creative ventures. It is clear Rivy is not happy being boxed into one craft. We took a minute to learn more about him and to discuss his future, his obstacles in the form of mental health and his opinions on social media:

1. Introduce yourself...

I’m Rivaldo, most people call me Rivy. I like to call myself a multi-disciplinary creative because I don’t want to box myself into a specific title. With creativity I really want to stretch it as much as I can and go down different avenues with my creativity, I don’t want to be seen as just an artist or an animator. 

2. What has been your biggest achievement to date?

I’m not even too sure. I do feel like I have achievements, but I tend to play them down a lot. Whenever I do something well, I’ll always think of how I can do it better. I never sit back and take the time to appreciate certain things that I do, which I’m trying to work on. Just being able to wake up and create art and do whatever I want, that in itself is an achievement for me.

 

3. What has been your biggest obstacle to date?

It’s definitely concerning my mental health. Social media, uni, even home life. Dealing with things, taking a step back, looking at your emotions and asking yourself questions. Why am I feeling this way, how can I do better, how can I persevere and not let myself down. How can I be more resilient to things?

 

4. What is your opinion on social media?

I’ll be real. It’s definitely a tool and a device. And in this day and age I definitely feel as a young creative, someone trying to get their voice heard, it’s definitely something which should be utilised. But personally, if I could have done lots of the things I’ve done, without it, I would have loved to. I’m not the biggest fan of social media, it definitely warps my perception of myself and sometimes the art I create too. But I do love the fact that I can connect with my audience and build relationships through it. A lot of the engagement aspects of social media though can definitely affect you, even without realising.

 

RIVY Self portraits.

5. How did you first get into art?

To be honest, I’ve been drawing all my life. I pretty much came out of the womb drawing. For me I see art as a lifestyle and a part of me. It’s like breathing now. Sometimes yu can’t quite find the words to express how you feel, art is a way to express yourself, it’s a universal language. Everyone understands body language and facial expressions. It’s a universal way of expressing ideas and feelings.


6. How did you gain your creative style?

My creative style is something which came to me very gradually. It’s always been there but over time it’s developed. Living and experiencing things has just developed it. I’ve drawn from my experiences and drawn from my background - I’m Jamaican but born in the UK. The whole idea of the street, graffiti and even anatomy, I like to mess with proportions. Even the way I mess with proportions is quite sentimental. It’s almost like a caricature expression of myself, for example I’m quite skinny so I exaggerate that aspect a lot in my art.

RIVY - CRTZ RTW

7. What is the importance of art / having a creative outlet?

I feel like having a creative outlet is mad important. Everyone has their vices and their outlets and their way of coping. It’s just a way of expressing yourself. Sometimes there’s no words to describe how your feeling so having a creative outlet is so important. I would definitely recommend everyone to have one, it can really help you a lot mentally and with your happiness.

8. How was lockdown for your creativity?

It was very interesting. It was very mixed, there were where I was extremely productive and creative. There was also a part, towards the uni side of things that was quite draining, and I found myself falling into quite a deep depression which I’m still finding my way out of now. It was like a pause on the world and a time where everyone had to stop and look and assess themselves and just look in the mirror. There was no more running away from your traumas and demons, you had to confront things head on.

9. Who would you most like to collaborate with?

I’d really love to collaborate with Clint from Corteiz. I’d love to collaborate with a lot of brands and photographers actually. Carhartt too, I love that skater, street aesthetic. I’d love to do some editorial covers, a lot of things like that. I’d love to work with other animators too, maybe in a studio for some time to get an idea of that sort of work environment.

10. Who / what has influenced you the most?

I’m influenced by a lot of things, so I’m not sure if there’s a singular thing that’s influenced me. Music has influenced me a lot, the underground UK scene, I don’t even think that title is flattering but that sort of alternative scene has influenced me a lot. Even electronic dance music, Mount Kimbie, Aphex Twin, loads of music. Photography has influenced me a lot too, Simon Wheatley for example, in terms of what I’m trying to capture with my art, belonging, youth, the nuances in being British, those sort of things. Also, other artists, for example there’s this dope artist, Poor Teffy, he’s been a bit of a mentor to me as well. Someone who I think of as a brother too – Delphino and the team over at Delphino productions. Being around other creatives inspires me a lot.

11. What is your long-term goal?

It’s to really be able to live off of what I create, there’s loads of means to do that too. I really want to inspire people with what I do as well and if I’m being real I want to push the idea of being vulnerable and being different, I almost want to push convention and what’s seen as normal. I’d love to build a collective of creatives too, and the motto would be ‘stand out to fit in’, everyone would be different in their own way and that’s how you’d be part of what I do. I’m very fuelled by my mum too, so if she can see my success and If she can benefit from it and I can repay my eternal debt that I think we all have to out parents that would be amazing. I’d like to mentor as well, work with the youth and help people to harness their creativity and to create their own voice with art, their own visual identity, because it something I’m going through and developing, I’d love to help other people with it as well.
RIVY - Sketchbook page

12. Any other creative outlets you’re looking at getting into in the future?

I definitely think I’d dive into a few, there’s a lot of things I’m working on in the dark. I’ll brush lightly over them cus you know people are bad minding. I want to do clothing, that’s something I’m working on in the dark, coming up with my own brand, cut and sew and all of that. I’m dabbling in music, production and sound design as well. I also like the idea of photography; I’m messing about with that. I’m really just trying to embody the idea of being a creative, there’s no bounds to my creativity. I want to be able to do whatever I want, almost like a Kanye or Tyler the creative, that sort of archetype of what you see as a creative, a front man who can do whatever they want, I would like to build a team to do that as well.

Follow: @rivythecreative 

Photography by: @PurpleContrast

Executive Produced by: @Maya_Mihoc


 

RIVY wears:

Rise Necklace Gold

#StookiMovement

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