Allan Rivera

As a child, I found joy in the simple act of drawing—sketching portraits and playful doodles of family and friends. It was not merely a pastime, but a quiet language through which I could interpret the world around me. The colors of nature, the rhythm of everyday life, and the subtle beauty hidden in ordinary moments awakened in me a lasting love for artistic expression.

I was raised in the vibrant landscape of New York City, where the towering architecture and restless energy of the streets became my earliest gallery. The city itself felt like a living canvas. During my time at Washington Irving High School, inspiring teachers and mentors introduced me to diverse artistic styles and perspectives, guiding me in translating the spirit and evolving viewpoints of New York through my work.

My paintings were eventually exhibited at the distinguished National Arts Club, and a gouache portrait of my family earned me the city’s Gold Key Award in the arts. I later continued my studies in graphic arts at Parsons School of Design, a division of The New School.

Though my professional path would eventually lead me beyond the art world, the desire to create never left me. Art remained a quiet companion in my life until tragedy struck. At the age of twenty-seven, a devastating water storage accident destroyed my entire body of artwork. The loss was profound—leaving me disheartened, and for many years, unable to return to the canvas.

Then, during the stillness and uncertainty of the COVID-19 Pandemic, something within me began to stir again. Painting returned not as ambition, but as necessity—a way to process emotion, memory, and the fragile hope that had once seemed lost.

From that moment forward, creativity flowed once more. Since rediscovering my voice through art, I have created over 89 works. Many have been exhibited in galleries across Europe, Asia, and the United States, and now live in private collections around the world.

Today I reside in the beautiful province of Nova Scotia, Canada where I continue to explore imagination, emotion, and the unseen landscapes of the human spirit. Each painting is a fragment of a larger story—an invitation to see the world not only as it is, but as it might be felt.

Thank you for walking alongside me on this artistic journey.