RISE ABOVE - Original Acrylic Painting

The story behind the painting "Rise Above" is a deeply personal tribute from the artist Denise "D" Myers to her son, Riley - a performer, physical actor, director, producer, creator, writer, and storyteller, whose life has been shaped by imagination, movement, and the extraordinary world of live theater.

 

Suspended high above a glowing circus beneath a moonlit sky, a solitary figure appears to defy gravity and the boundaries of the ordinary world. Arms outstretched, his colorful coat carried by an unseen wind, he occupies a place between earth and sky, reality and imagination. The figure is inspired by Riley himself.

 

His face, expression, and mannerisms bring an unmistakably personal dimension to the work, transforming what might otherwise be a fantastical circus scene into a mother’s artistic interpretation of her son.

 

Riley’s creative journey includes a life as a gymnast in the USAG Jr. Olympic Gymnastics since he was four years old through his college degrees as a Civil Engineer and a Biomedical Engineer. He has a number of years performing as an acrobat in many shows nationwide, including Cirque Electrique in San Diego and the Cirque du Soleil's show KA in Las Vegas. His work also includes years in live theater and film as an actor, various clown characters, writer, director, and producer. His artistic pursuits, including the Nevada Shakespeare Festival, ClueX, and contemporary clown theater, reflect a career devoted to storytelling, physical expression, and the exploration of human experience. These influences are woven throughout the painting.

 

Below the suspended figure, a collection of brilliantly striped circus tents glows against a darkened landscape. Warm lights illuminate the grounds, while distant mountains and a luminous moon establish an atmosphere of mystery and possibility. The circus represents more than a performance venue. It becomes a symbolic world of creativity, transformation, and wonder - a place where the seemingly impossible becomes possible. Above it all is Riley.

 

His position in the composition suggests freedom from conventional limitations, yet his connection to the world below remains unmistakable. He is both part of the circus and beyond it, a performer whose imagination cannot be confined by the boundaries of a stage.

 

With artistic technique and dimensional detail, Denise creates the painting’s remarkable dimensional surface entirely through successive layers of acrylic paint. Rather than introducing separate materials or texture compounds, she patiently builds up the paint itself, giving selected elements a sculptural presence while retaining the unity of an original acrylic painting. The raised points of lights along the circus tents and the torches are especially distinctive. Their physical relief catches illumination from different angles, allowing the lights to shimmer and shift as the viewer moves. Layered details in the architecture, foliage, and foreground lends the scene with additional depth and invites close inspection. This tactile treatment contrasts with the softer transitions of the moonlit sky and the seemingly weightless figure above. The interplay between tangible texture and atmospheric space reinforces the painting’s central tension: the grounded world of performance below and the boundless imagination rising beyond it. The full effect is best experienced in person, where changing light and perspective reveal subtleties that a straight-on photograph cannot fully convey.

 

The Meaning of "Rise Above":

 

The title originates from Denise’s own words: “Rise Above". Within the painting, those two words carry several meanings. They speak to the physical act of rising, recalling Riley’s years as an aerial and acrobatic performer. They suggest the courage required to pursue an unconventional artistic life and the determination to see possibilities where others see limitations. Most importantly, they express a mother’s perspective, and is an inspiration she always told her sons as they were growing up.

 

Through Denise’s eyes, Riley is not defined by a particular performance, or moment in time. He is seen as someone whose creative spirit continues to reach beyond expectations. The painting celebrates that spirit without attempting to contain or explain it.

 

It's mystical atmosphere invites viewers to bring their own interpretations to the scene. Some may see a performer in flight. Others may see a dream, an expression of personal freedom, or a journey toward something not yet discovered.

 

For Denise, the meaning is more intimate. It is the story of a mother who sees her son not simply for what he has accomplished, but for the extraordinary possibilities she recognizes within him. The artist’s vision "Rise Above" brings together the theatrical and the deeply personal. Its dramatic imagery, intricate details, layered acrylic surface, and atmospheric lighting create a world in which the familiar becomes extraordinary. The painting is both a celebration of Riley’s artistic life and an enduring expression of the bond between mother and son. At its heart, "Rise Above" is about imagination, individuality, and the freedom to become something greater than the world expects.

 

In "Rise Above", a mother’s love and an artist’s imagination come together to celebrate a life lived beyond the boundaries of the ordinary.