|
 |
|
Andrew, left,
and Christopher Rivera stand in their gallery
Thursday afternoon.
Charles Auer/Freeman Staff |
WAUKESHA - It’s Thursday afternoon, and brothers
Andrew and Christopher Rivera are putting the
finishing touches on their new art gallery, The
Rivera Creative, before their soft opening Friday
evening.
“You
know, dusting, vacuuming ... general panic,” Andrew
Rivera jokes.
The
gallery is a big deal for the brothers, who have long
dreamed of having a space of their own to display their
vast collection of original pencil, charcoal, dry brush
and photography works.
When
their father offered to rent them some space at his
building at
223 W. Wisconsin Ave., the brothers jumped at the
opportunity. Now the former office space with elegant
archways and eye-catching glass cases is being
transformed into a working art gallery that will someday
be home to more artists who want to sell their wares.
‘A little bit of everything’
“Downtown Waukesha is known for its art galleries, and
although we know one more couldn’t hurt, we think ours
is different from most,” said 28-year-old Andrew Rivera.
“We’ve got a little bit of everything.”
Hanging above the original downstairs fireplace is a
charcoal portrait of Angelina Jolie, but a nest of
hissing snakes writhes in place of her normal brown
locks as she impersonates the mythical gorgon Medusa.
Christopher Rivera, 36, created the piece, and like most
pieces in the gallery, it’s available in digital print
form for those who can’t or don’t want to come up with
the cash for the original.
“I do
what I do because I like it, and I love Waukesha and
want to put down my roots here,” Christopher Rivera
said. “I’d be thrilled if people come in and they like
our stuff.”
Andrew
Rivera said the gallery will offer its works in a
variety of sizes, such as postcard-sized prints of his
travel photography from places like Spain, Ireland and
Amsterdam.
Since
their father owns several pieces of property downtown
and throughout the city, the brothers felt it was
natural to open their business here.
“Waukesha has such a great history, and buildings like
this one so often just sit empty,” Andrew Rivera said.
“We want to be part of bringing the downtown back to
life.”
The
brothers plan to have monthly exhibitions of their new
works, and they hope more artists will come forward to
rent studio space in the building, which contains many
nooks and crannies that are perfect for artists to set
up shop.
A soft
opening will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. today, and
the gallery will be officially open for business on
Monday. For more information, visit
www.facebook.com/RiveraCreativeStudios.
Email:
spryor@conleynet.com