Meet Risa Friedman | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Risa Friedman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Risa, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’ve always loved making art. Looking at art. Talking about art. For many years, however, I allowed art to live in the background of my life. It was always there but never a priority. Then after the birth of my second son, I developed rheumatoid arthritis. It took many months for me to figure out what was going on with my body and there were weeks at a time where I could barely walk. This new illness made me rethink how I spent my time and I knew then that I needed to expand my creative community and start prioritizing time for making art.

I started carrying a camera with me all the time and noticed, as I made more photos, my eyes slowly changed. Light and shadow became something I noticed in a deeper way. Same with color and texture. The process brought me great joy and I knew I had made an important shift in my life. A few years later, I was offered my first solo photography show and that experience confirmed that I wanted my art practice to be more than a hobby.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a photo artist – this includes not only traditional film and digital photography, but also collage and installation work that incorporates my photos, and sometimes historic photos and/or found objects. The focus of all of my work is on color and texture located within the built environment.

I grew up in suburban New York, but draw much of my inspiration from watching the different cities I’ve lived in change over time—New York, Brighton (UK), Quito (Ecuador) and currently Denver. While still a fan of urban environments, my more recent travels through the rural west led to a new passion for small town America. My background and other career in the social sciences (sociology and public health) also inform my approach to art. One of my favorite parts of my process is people: I adore collaborating with other artists and meeting people who live and work in the spaces I photograph.

Right now I am particularly excited about installation work – there is nothing more fun than transforming an entire space with my art. I love exploring new and interesting ways to activate all aspects of a room: the floor, the ceiling, windows and doors. I’ve created some photo-based sculptural work for installations and look forward to exploring photo sculptures more in 2024.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
A visit to Denver with me would focus on art, design and food – with as much walking incorporated in as possible.

Architecture: I love walking friends through the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory in the Denver Botanic Gardens and the Clyfford Still Museum. These are my two favorite buildings in the city and also happen to provide views of luscious plants and beautiful art.

Art: Additional places we might view art include the MCA (Museum of Contemporary Art), the Denver Art Museum, BMOCA (the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art) and some of my favorite art galleries including CPAC (the Colorado Photographic Arts Center), Leon Gallery, Bell Projects, and RedLine Contemporary Art Center. I recently moved into a new studio that is part of the RedLine Satellite Studios residency program located inside Alto Gallery in the RiNo ArtPark. Therefore, Alto and my studio would be included in my tour where I would also point out sculptures in the park by my friend, artist Jaime Molina, and stop by Comal for breakfast or lunch.

Food: Comal, which not only serves delicious food, but is also a food business and culinary management training program that supports immigrant and refugee women is one of my current favorites. Other favorites include Sap Sua, Annette, Safta, the Corner Beet, and Middleman (a cocktail bar that serves interesting and tasty small plates). Most likely, a night with me would end at a dive bar such as the PS Lounge on Colfax.

Shopping: If a visiting friend wants to shop, I would take them to some of my favorite thrift shops including The Shop Denver (which specializes in vintage western wear and decor), Strawberry Mountain, Rizzo’s and MEEK Modern + Vintage. If they wanted to bring a special gift home I would recommend Salt+Blue, Conifer, Sacred Thistle and the Shop at Matter.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There’s no way I could have an art career without the support of my husband and two sons. They let me spread my work across the floors of our house and are now adept at walking through tiny paths and over piles of paper, even in the dark. The Denver art community provides me with social and professional support and inspiration in ways that continue to surprise and delight me.

Website: risafriedman.com

Instagram: @risafriedman