Bold Brilliant Emotional Vivid Captivating Enter the World of Hugo Rivera

As I approached the Hugo Rivera Gallery on Pacific Coast Highway in the heart of Laguna Beach, I am struck by the vibrant colors and images bursting through the large windows of this stunning gallery. Clean and contemporary is the space, with abstract figures jumping at me from every view. Brilliant blues, gorgeous greens, radiant reds and sunny yellows all beaming outward. As I peered through the many windows, mesmerized by the glorious works of art, a feeling of excitement and energy bubbled up within me.

I had arranged to meet Hugo at eleven o’clock on a Friday morning to talk about his work, his life and what brought him to this point in his career. Promptly Hugo arrived, greeted me with a warm hug and opened the door into what felt like a colorful kaleidoscope of figures and form. Everywhere my eyes gazed, they were met with lively images of hypnotizing paintings all with a similar vibe of contemporary interpretation amongst creative freedom. Up close, figures, lines and modern shapes dominate the subject matter at the gallery with a playful energy present in each work. The art truly speaks for itself and I was eager to learn more about the artist.

Hugo and I met months ago at one of his workshops. I had the pleasure of painting with him while learning about his style process and theories of acrylic painting. Freedom of creativity, rhythm, texture, lots of primary colored paint and contrast, make up the foundation of his method with a “messy” brilliance of scratches, splatter, water and saturated dripping paint. His work is commanding and provocative invoking an emotional response, dare I say, in all who have the pleasure to experience it.

Hugo Rivera was born in Mexico to a close-knit family in 1965. He lived with his parents, two sisters and grandparents who often traveled back and forth between Mexico and California. Hugo’s father, Jose, was a topographer, combining his mathematics and artistic talents. While a young boy, Hugo remembers drawing for hours on the floor of his father’s study listening to classical music, sketching in black pens, pencils and ink and playing with his father’s drawing tools.

Hugo’s passion was always art. Jose Rivera, concerned for his son’s ability to earn a living, encouraged Hugo to become a Civil Engineer. After graduating school, Hugo worked for almost two years creating blueprints for an engineering business in Mexico.

In October of 1989, Hugo decided to go visit his mother in Orange County. Wanting to learn English, Hugo enrolled in ESL classes at Orange Coast College. Walking to and from class, Hugo found himself strolling by the art classrooms. Always drawn to art, Hugo would peer into the art studios, standing, watching, until a teacher invited him in to join the class. From this point forward, Hugo took every art class he could soaking in the techniques, lessons and history of art. Herein lies the beginning of Hugo Rivera’s serendipitous journey to becoming a leading Laguna Beach artist.

Hugo shared many stories of chance meetings, unexpected opportunities and inspirational people that all contributed to his success. One such story occurred while he was still in art school. Hugo met Dana, a friend of his sisters, who had a mural business. Two years after their initial meeting, Hugo got sick one day and couldn’t go to work, so a friend came over to help him. His friend concocted a drink of baking soda, coffee grinds, lemon and water and had Hugo drink it. Ten minutes later, Hugo felt better and found himself with a free day. He thought of Dana, and with the help of his mother, found her phone number in a bible. Hugo called her to see if she needed any help, and without hesitation, she offered him his first job as a working artist. Hugo worked as a mural artist for five years. “Painting murals was a great way to learn. Whatever the client asked you to paint, you have to do it”, said Hugo. He was very successful working for Dana while perfecting his craft.

After the recession in 2008, the mural work slowed down and Hugo found himself painting at home. At that time, he was living in Santa Ana with his wife Erika, and decided to go to Laguna Beach to pass out pictures of his art in hopes of finding a gallery to represent him. The galleries quickly began selling his work and Hugo Rivera became a name in the Laguna Beach art scene. As his career was beginning to flourish, Hugo was meeting many wonderful people who fueled him along the way.

One day, Hugo was speaking with Mike, a Laguna resident, who planted the idea of Hugo living over his own gallery. Hugo thought to himself, yes, that would be great, but I can’t do that, I can’t afford it. Soon thereafter, Mike called Hugo to say he found a place for Hugo to live in South Laguna and wanted him to see it. Again, Hugo expressed his reservations, but Mike said just come, see it, we will work it out. Hugo and Erika met the owner, loved the place, and shared their concerns. Mike told the owner that he would be happy to make up the difference in rent, they signed the papers, and Hugo was now a Laguna Beach resident. Mike proved to be another one of the many wonderful people who generously and unexpectedly altered the course of Hugo’s life.

In 2015, Hugo joined an elite group of artists to be accepted and have a booth simultaneously at the three art festivals in Laguna Beach, Sawdust, Art-A-Fair and the Festival of Arts. He admits it was very hard work yet as he told me, he loved the challenge. Hugo is a real artist at heart, never satisfied or happy about what he is doing, he pushes himself, wants more, better, wants to get out of his comfort zone and do things differently. It was this thinking that brought about what he told me is most thrilling to him today.

While preparing for the summer festivals he thought it would be fun if he did a demonstration of himself painting. He wasn’t quite sure how it would work but decided to just do it. In need of a subject, he asked Tom Klingenmeier, the person in charge of one of the festivals to be his model. Tom, a man with a very large distinguishing moustache, after some consideration, agreed. Hugo admitted he was nervous, unsure how it would all work out. He started painting, the crowd gathered, and soon there were lots of people taking pictures and videos of his vivid and intense creation all mesmerized watching Hugo work. Much to his surprise it was a huge success!

Hugo paints with energy…daring, courageous and captivating, he has been called a “performance artist”. This process, as seen in the above video, in total takes approximately forty-five minutes. To date, Hugo has done over thirty painting performances. He enjoys the demonstrations, interacting with people and finds it exhilarating. Musician friends have recently join Hugo in his “pop-up” performances adding a new element to the experience.

Two months ago, The Hugo Rivera Gallery moved from the smaller back unit of a quaint courtyard to the front much larger gallery space facing the ocean at the corner of Legion Street and Pacific Coast Highway. The gallery is supported currently by ten artists although Hugo is looking for more to join his family of friends. The collective theme in the gallery is contemporary with the artists utilizing a similar palette style. Hugo is at the gallery most days and you will often find him painting outside in the courtyard, music playing, with ocean breezes filling the air.

Looking to the future, Hugo is enthusiastic about continuing his demonstrations and challenging himself in his painting. He believes that god gives everyone a talent and energy and it is our choice to use it. He trusts that through his work he has the pleasure of sharing his energy and passion with others which creates an enthusiasm within him.

Hugo personally wanted me to invite you to stop by the gallery to say hello, find him on Facebook, Instagram, or at his website, www.hugorivera.com and visit him during the Gallery Art Event which takes place, rain or shine, the first Thursday of every month from six thirty till nine o’clock in the evening in Laguna Beach.

The Hugo Rivera Gallery

550 S Coast Hwy #1

Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Hours: 10:30AM–6:30PM

Phone: (949) 212-7875