“When most people think of my father, Diego Rivera, they think of him as a famous painter… His hard work, dedication, and talent taught me that if you work hard at your passion, you can achieve your dreams.”
Guadalupe Rivera Marín had a very unusual childhood, growing up among world famous artwork. Her papá, Diego Rivera, was a larger-than-life figure who created unforgettable images of working people, of life in Mexico, of industrial machines and flowers. But Diego Rivera also loved to paint children, and you’ll find them inside the pages of this book, along with lessons and wisdom he passed along to his eldest daughter.
Guadalupe Rivera Marín shares some of her childhood memories of the world-renowned artist who also happened to be her papá. Her recollections are tender, humorous, and unexpected. This intimate artistic portrait will delight readers, from the youngest art lovers to Diego Rivera’s biggest fans.
About the Creators
Guadalupe Marín – Authoris the daughter of Diego Rivera and Guadalupe Marín. Her early childhood was spent in Chapingo, in rural Mexico, while her father created government-sponsored murals for the Secretaría de Educación Pública, or the department of public education. Dr. Rivera Marín is the founder and board chair of the Diego Rivera Foundation, an organization based in Mexico that is dedicated to preserving Diego Rivera’s legacy via research, conservation, and conferences, and to supporting contemporary public art and artists. Dr. Rivera Marín is an accomplished lecturer and author, former diplomat, former member of the Mexican congress, and the longstanding director of the National Institute for Historical Studies on the Mexican Revolution. Dr. Rivera Marín lives in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
Diego Riverawas born in 1886 in Guanajuato, Mexico. He began to study art at the age of ten. One of Mexico’s most famous and influential painters, he was also a political activist and a communist. Many of Diego Rivera’s most famous works are frescoes-murals painted onto fresh plaster. His signature style and iconic portrayals of workingmen and women, Mexican history, and symbols such as calla lilies are instantly recognizable. His frescoes, paintings, and sketches can be found in buildings and museums around the world. Over the course of his life, Diego Rivera traveled extensively, living and creating work in Mexico, the United States, Europe, and Russia. He was married three times, to Guadalupe Marín, to artist Frida Kahlo, and to Emma Hurtado. He died in 1957.