Meet Crystal Riha | Fine Arts & Mixed Media Artist

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

Hi Crystal, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve been creating art ever since I was old enough to pick up a paint brush! My mom and dad are very artistic and we’re constantly doing artsy and crafty things with me as I grew up. So, it’s in the family genes! I didn’t start trying to make it into a career until about 2 years ago when I was having more and more people reach out to me wanting to buy my art, after me posting it on my social medias. So that’s when I realized – hey, one day I can be making a living off of something I absolutely love doing! That’s when Crystal Riha Creations was born.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve created art ever since I was old enough to pick up a paintbrush. That’s thanks to my mom and dad for not only having the artist gene but for always doing artsy things with my sister and I. The first real memory I have of doing anything artsy, was painting on rocks. My mom would set up this area filled with newspaper and paints. My sister and I, would go out and pick our rocks, wash them off, and paint on them. I was probably about 3 years old and my sister was 5. My mom even has pictures of us doing this, which is so cool to see! Then, throughout school, I almost always had some sort of art class. So there’s definitely been a lot of practice throughout my life and a lot of figuring out my style and what I enjoy creating most. Once I figured that out, is when I started my art business!

I always had a difficult time describing my art to people when they ask what I do, I’ve learned to tell people I create mostly fine arts and mixed media and if they ask more of “what I paint or draw” – to keep the answer short, it’s somewhat of “abstract realism.”
For the longest time I always painted with acrylic, usually on canvas. Here and there I would try different things but nothing ever stuck. Until, I bought some Copic markers, thinking it’ll just be something fun and new to try for a couple months. Well, that couple months has turned into 2 years and it’s now one of my main mediums I use, which was also what sparked me to turn my hobby into a career!

When Im using copic markers and ink to create, it’s usually along the lines of a woman’s body with something else tied in, for example, a mushroom head, or octopus tentacles, things like that. Then I realized, not everyone wants to display naked ladies in their home, so I started drawing other things related to food or nature. Some other examples are, a cactus with arms, or hot chili peppers with arms and legs…. Doing something “hot” – we’ll just call it dancing. Another popular piece I’ve made is olives with arms and legs, hanging on and around martini glasses. The list goes on!
Now when I’m using acrylic paint, my style is very different. It usually includes some sort of landscape like the desert, or the ocean, sometimes space. Sometimes I paint on canvases but I like to mix it up and paint on different things like planters, and cow skulls, which brings me to what I’m most proud of recently! I’ve only painted on two cow skulls so far (but plan on doing more.) The first one I did, took a lot of time and I put a lot of detail into it and it got lots of compliments and attention! I sold that piece recently which made me very proud and excited for the people who bought it!

I’ve only been taking my art seriously for the past 2 years and it’s already been a lot of trail and error, and I continue to learn and improve. Not just on my art, but everything else that goes on behind the scenes. My website, the way I package and ship my items, the materials I need to have when being apart of art markets, there’s a lot of planning that goes into a lot of things, and people don’t realize that. I even traded in my two door Jeep Wrangler (that I loved so much) for a 4 door pickup truck, just so I can have that extra space for all my stuff!
It’s not always the easiest, but it’s definitely rewarding. So to all the people that have supported me and continue to support me, you mean the world to me!!

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.
Hmmm this is a great question. Mount Lemmon would definitely be on my list. If this friend had a motorcycle, we’d definitely ride our bikes up mount Lemmon! If not, a drive up would be just as nice (but less fun.) We’d spend a whole day up there just exploring and hiking, and then hit up the little town at the top and grab a bite to eat at the cookie cabin and then get some home made fudge down the street from there. Maybe even stay in one of those new cabins for the night! We’d drive back into town then I’d show them around downtown. 4th avenue has so many great shops! A lot of which are local. Some of my favorite ones that I would bring them to would include, Rustic Candles, Antigone Books, Pop Cycle, &gallery, then maybe head to Sacred Art or Grape Ape and get a tattoo or a piercing! If we’re over on my side of town (the North side) and want to get food or drinks, some of the places I’d recommend would be, Trident, they have amazing food and an awesome staff! Craft Republic if they’re wanting to play pool or ping pong. Casa Marana would be a must, I worked here for a couple years and it’s always great vibes when it comes to the atmosphere, the food, and the people around you. The bartenders are always really fun too. Then, if they didn’t mind heading a little more towards oro valley, we’d definitely visit Fork n Fire! Absolutely amazing food and the best vibes for sure, with a great staff! Another really great option near there would be the Keg! Same as I said above, amazing staff and a great atmosphere, and you can’t beat their happy hour.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
If I’m allowed to thank two different groups, I’d like to first that my work family over at The Keg! They’ve all always been very supportive of me and my artwork and it’s an amazing feeling. A couple names to mention are Abby, Mackenzie, SamXavier, Emily, Derek, Shayla, Elise, Pedro, the list goes on! And of course, Josh Bishop! The one who recommended you all to reach out to me to be in this article! Thanks Josh Secondly, all of the art markets I’ve been apart of! The people that put those together are so very important in the lives of local artist, and I can’t thank them enough! More specifically, the group of people that put together the “Made in Tucson Market” it’s my favorite one to be apart of, and was also my first one ever!

Website: www.crystalrihacreations.com

Instagram: @crystalriha.creations

Facebook: Crystal Riha Creations