Erika Rier Virtual Feature

I consider myself a storyteller even though the work I create is visual in nature. Over the  course of my life as an artist, I have been building up an ever evolving narrative arc in my work, each work is almost the next page in a wordless book. I create pieces that draw viewers in with their bright colors and delicate line work but as one delves deeper into the work, they find themselves immersed in a complex narrative. Whether I’m creating a complex mixed media painting or a simple ceramic dish, I fill each piece with stories for the viewer to uncover. Something as simple as the a sideways glance on a ceramic ring dish, can open up stories. 

My work is particularly focused on telling the stories of women, as well as changing our  expectations of the the way women are depicted as subjects within art. I think it is important for viewers to see women’s complex stories portrayed. I’m particularly interested in creating art which depicts women engaged in activities, rather than showing them as passive subjects shaped by the male gaze. 

As an interdisciplinary artist, I’m currently most focused on creating mixed media paintings and ceramics.  

Erika Rier is a self-taught interdisciplinary artist working in a variety of mediums  including drawing, painting, and ceramics in a style she calls folk surrealism. Writing  was her first love and she still secretly writes stories. Having lived in Maine, Vermont,  Connecticut, NYC, Arizona, and Washington state; Erika now resides in Portland, OR.  She also has one of each of the following: a husband, a daughter, a fluffy cat, and a  black cat.