There are Places I Remember
An exhibition of artwork by Susan Rivers
March 28 - April 19, 2025
Main Gallery
Artist Statement: Susan Rivers
There are Places I Remember
Each mixed media piece in this exhibit presents the physical and abstract aura of cities/countries that particularly resonate with me, even if years later.
As in all my work, these capture the beauty and messiness of the world around us.
Geography and the social or economic forces of these places give my memories context. Mashups of fabric, found objects, paper, joint compound, string, (and more), reflect both how I feel and what I think about the chaos and surprise each place revealed to me.
The world I inhabit is a blemished beauty. At times it’s shrouded in shadow. At other times, it’s ablaze with a joy and optimism that illuminate those dark corners.
These works depicting particular places and times illustrate the sparks that light my path.
In my Life
There are places I remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all
By John Lennon
Biography:
Susan T. Rivers is a former Wall Street Journal editor and communications executive who has lived and worked in North America, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
She earned a degree in photography at Trinity University in Washington, D.C., and was awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to photo document rural villages in France, Ireland and Quebec. She worked as a writer and editor for 30 years at several major news outlets, culminating with The Wall Street Journal.
She left journalism and spent over a decade in corporate communications for various financial institutions. Since moving to Richmond in 2018, she focuses her energy and passion on making art.
Susan has published photographs in the Capital-Gazette Newspapers, Baltimore Sun, and Aramco World Magazine. More recently she has exhibited photographs and mixed media work at Linden Row Inn with 1708 Gallery, the First Unitarian Universalist Gallery, Art Space Gallery, Boyd Realty Gallery, the FemLens international online gallery, Pine Camp Cultural Center, and Art for the Journey.
Deeply affected by her multicultural travel where she witnessed stark social and economic disparities, she creates work that explores the complicated interplay of pain and healing in our shared humanity. Through use of color, contrast, and texture, her art exhibits a wide range of styles and media, all driven by a common theme: Creative truth must embrace both the grit and glow of everyday life.
Susan Rivers, "Adirondack"
Susan Rivers, "Tulpa"
Susan Rivers, "La Marsa"
Susan Rivers, "New York Newspaper"
Susan Rivers, "Three Rivers Quebec"
Susan Rivers, "Belize"
Susan Rivers, "Red Rock Canyon Nevada"