Artist: Stephen Hansen
Title: The Flower Vendor (Rivera)
Medium: Acrylic/Paper Mache'
Dimensions: 21"h x21"w
"The Flower Vendor (Rivera)" is a vibrant painting that marries two-dimension and three-dimension artwork. The painting is densely packed with green and yellow callla lilies. On the right side of the painting, there is a woman seen from behind. She is dressed traditionally, with a white blouse, a dark-colored skirt, a red sash around her waist, and her hair is braided and hanging down to her waist. Her pose suggests she is interacting with the plants in front of her. On the left side of the painting, a sculpted man facing towards the viewer is depicted holding a large, calla lily flower. He is using the calla lily as a reference and painting it onto the canvas, with a dripping paintbrush in his other hand. His attire is a white suit covered in splatters of colorful paint, representing an artist as work. There is a bucket of paint at his feet. Rivera's style of the painting is bold and somewhat fantastical, with a dramatic use of color and form that pair beautifully with the whimsical sculpture of the painter. The overall impression is one of a rich tapestry that blends the everyday with the creative and the classic.