REMEMBERING TARU RIVERA

"The Sentry"
   by Taru Rivera

The CBPS honors Taru (Ruth) Rivera who passed away July 4, 2016. Taru was a member of The Society for over 20 years, and an active contributor to the CBPS. She brought an intelligent wit to her work, often reflected in her thoughtful titles. In 2011, she won  First Prize at the 2011 San Diego County Fair for her work entitled “Did You Hear the One About the ?”.

Taru studied Asian Studies at Stanford which lead her to Taoism and its meditative focus on nature. To Taru, Chinese brush painting involved the eyes, the heart, and the hand moving in a rhythm. A circular pulse creating a timeless eternal moment or meditation. This is the “dance of the brush” as Jean Shen, her long-time teacher, refers to it; personal, yet universal, opening like a lotus blossom for all to see. The image of the hollow bamboo and the flow of nature and the universe were powerful to Taru.