Name: Flourish: Beyond the Silence by Lori Rivera
Start: 2025-10-08T17:30:00-04:00
Location: Fresh A.I.R. Gallery

Flourish: Beyond the Silence by Lori Rivera

Bringing flowers to someone with a physical illness is common, but what about those struggling with their mental health? Unlike a broken leg or another visible condition, mental illness is often invisible and rarely recognized in the same way.
Join us for the opening reception, Weds Oct 8 5:30 - 7:00 pm at Fresh A.I.R. Gallery. Meet the artist Lori Rivera, enjoy light refreshments and musical entertainment by duo O'Neil & Martin. Parking is complimentary in Chicks Camera Lot at Pearl and Long.
This exhibit aims to raise awareness about mental health issues and the unique challenges it creates for those affected and their loved ones. Many individuals facing mental health struggles project a joyful outward appearance, even while experiencing deep despair and hopelessness within.
During a mental health crisis, flowers—a traditional gesture of care—are rarely offered. In contrast, physical illnesses are often met with an abundance of floral support. The flowers in this exhibit symbolize this disparity.
By fostering greater understanding and compassion, we can create a world where mental health is recognized, supported, and valued just as much as physical health.
Lori Rivera is a painter creating still life, abstracts, and surrealism paintings. Abstraction allows her the freedom to express raw emotion while surrealism gives permission to explore the subconscious through dreamlike juxtapositions. Still life grounds her, offering a moment of quiet observation and presence with ordinary objects that can carry extraordinary meaning.