Welcome to RIVAA Gallery

Jim Pignetti's involvement in the arts started in his second year of high school (1967-70) when he attended the Saturday Program at Cooper Union. He went on to the Art School in 1970, studying with painter Jack Whitten, graduating in 1974. Jim then went to work in the developing district of SoHo, at that moment exploding into artist's lofts and galleries. Jim was a studio assistant, housepainter, framer, and loft renovator. He became immersed in a flourishing community, witnessing, and assisting in making the art being shown in the dynamic gallery scene. Along the way he met titans of the New York art world: Schnabel and Basquiat, and saw hundreds of shows, gaining a vibrant literacy. In the following years, Jim raised a family, supported his spouse as she earned her doctorate, he founded a metal supply company, wrote poetry and started an online poetry group, bought and renovated a log cabin in the Hudson Valley, planted a small vineyard and taught himself to make wine. In this period Jim painted occasionally; and now for the last 10 years, Jim has maintained a studio and engaged in a regular painting practice. Jim's current work, acrylic paint on aluminum panels, engages gesture, color, reduction and process.