Meet the Maker, Emily Rives
Since childhood, I have been passionate about making. Growing up on the small island of Martha’s Vineyard, I was raised in an amazing and tight-knit community of creatives. After losing my mother at a young age, I was raised by my mother’s mother, an inspiring and vibrant woman in her 80’s. We became best friends, despite the generational gap, and I attribute much of my creative spirit to her.
I left the island to receive my Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a concentration in Glassblowing. My creative pursuits centered on rediscovering and redefining the meaning of home, particularly meaningful for me as my grandmother passed during my freshman year. I presented a thesis project on ‘Art vs. Craft; where the two meet in the Home.’ An installation made up of everyday objects created by hand using glassblowing, glass casting, woodworking, sewing, knitting, embroidery, photography and some grass sod. It was art school, after all.
Sitting in my prior Boston home.
My philosophy is that art should be present in everything we do. There is no line between art and craft. Everyday utilitarian items can be beautiful or interesting, and objet d’art can be useful, if only to the spirit.
Since then, I’ve gotten married, had children, gone through two home renovations, am in the process of building our dream home from the ground up, and I’ve received a certificate in Residential Interior Design from Rhode Island School of Design’s continuing education department. My passion for art, craft, interiors, and textiles has only grown with time.