Graphic Art, Tortillas, Comics, and Troublemaking

I’m proud to introduce my newest print, a limited edition silkscreen Ghetto Frida artwork, printed by Jesus Barraza of Taller Tupac Amaru. Jesus took the wheel and the results are amazing.

The image itself is a nostalgia piece dedicated to 90’s culture in the Mission District.  Front and center is a bootleg Bart Simpson t-shirt, to me the most universal signifier of youth culture in the neighborhood in the early 90’s. An era where countless stores lined Mission street displaying these bootleg Bart shirts on their awnings as if they were patriotic flags. The lyrics used in the scroll are from Ahmad’s “Back in the Day” the greatest sentimental hip-hop song of all time.

You’ll be able to buy the print in-person 5:00 PM-10:00 PM Friday, June 21ist at Galeria de la Raza as part of the closing reception of their Empujando Tinto exhibit. My print will be debuting alongside new prints by Favianna Rodriguez and Vivianna Paredes.

The Details

17.5” X 23”, Signed and numbered edition of 56. $75 each.

On sale physically at Galeria de la Raza

2857 24^th Street

San Francisco, CA 94110

On sale online at rioyanez.com (starting June 25^th, 2013).

Peace,

Rio

Galería de la Raza presents

Today is my love’s birthday. I’ve been wanting to experiment in blue tones lately so her birthday portraits are strictly on the azul tip. I’m off to go celebrate at the Girl in a Coma show tonight at the New Parish.

I also have her yearly Birthday Mixtape available for download here: http://www.mediafire.com/?x2x39kvpey8j0by

Peace and Birthdays,

Rio

Happy Mother’s Day to my amazing and inspiring mom!

Peace,
Rio

Just checking back in with some recent photo work that I’ve done. More coming soon!

Peace,

Rio

Just a little love for Philip Vera Cruz.

Peace,
Rio

City of Oakland Dungeons and Dragons is an homage to my new home and the work of artist Jolly Blackburn. Jolly’s Knights of the Dinner Table is a comic series about a group of friends who play Hackmaster (an analogue to Dungeons and Dragons-and now a legit game unto itself). It’s a series that I’ve read for 15 years now, my longest streak in reading comic books.

In this single panel piece my friends and I have uniquely Bay Area responses when being presented with the threat of a dragon. The character to the far left is B.A. Felton, the oft put-upon Gamemaster of the series.

My secret artist dream is to illustrate a cover of Knights of the Dinner Table. They do take submissions but I have yet to put something together. One day soon!

Peace,

Rio

Today (Saturday, March 16th) there will be a jubilant memorial for my mentor Spain Rodriguez at Brava at 1:00PM. I’ll be there silkscreening Spain’s art on tortillas and giving them out. If you knew Spain or were interested in his work please come by and say hi.

My dad recently came across postcards and prints that Spain did in the late 70’s/early 80’s at Galería de la Raza. The Galería was one of the first publicly accessible locations in San Francisco to have a color xerox machine and artists such as Spain produced all sorts of amazing prints with it. As with his comic work, a lot of the prints Spain produced were closely tied to the Mission and its then-thriving lowrider scene. Here are some Mission-based prints by Spain, unearthed by my dad.

The intersection of 24th and Bryant. You can see my dad chilling on the far right-hand side.

Blue Flame

Hot Rods

Peace,

Rio

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of my friends and lovers! El Rio’s Valentine’s Day Cards are back in the ring to take another swing! This is the 7th year of my cards and it’s turned into my longest running project yet. Enjoy! As always, please post these cards on the pages of your online friends, real life enemies, booty calls, baby daddies, OK Cupid regrets, and people you’re stalking on instagram. To see a complete collection of El Rio’s Valentine’s Day Cards visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/elrio/sets/72157594533338379/

Peace & Love,

Rio

I’m in the midst of unpacking boxes and getting settled but I wanted to say a very special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite singer Angelina Camarillo. I drew this portrait of her back in 2010 as part of a set for a theater show. Happy birthday Angelina!

Peace,

Rio