Arts & Culture Magazine - January/February 2008 - (Page 61) “The mosT difficulT parT of design is To balance whaT you deem imporTanT wiTh whaT has popular appeal,” he explains. “wiTh a piece of sculpTure, you have more freedom To experimenT.” Renzo. The rounded windows stacked along the sides of the building like portholes, were his idea. Renzo also created a 15-foot high sculpture to match Rivo Ringling’s nautical theme. He is pleased with the results of his first venture into large-scale sculpture. Made of fiberglass and aluminum, the graceful piece will be constructed and installed over the next six months. Besides his work for the Rivolta Group, Renzo also has been collaborating with his sister Marella on product designs for Zagato. He is eager to bring her talents as an interior decorator to Sarasota for custom homes he plans to design and build. According to Piero, “Marella knows better than everyone else in our family what people want.” He adds humorously, “I’m the kind of writer, if only ten people like my novel, I am happy. My daughter, if she wrote a book, it would be a bestseller.” Rachele is not involved in the design aspects of the Rivolta Group. She paints when she can spare time from her busy social commitments—one or two days a week. Although she started as a teenager, she considers Piero’s mother her first true teacher: “She showed me how to really use oil paint.” She adds with a smile, “Before that I was like so many modern artists—do whatever you want.” She recently moved into a new studio and is planning an exhibition of her landscapes early next year. “I am a modern impressionist,” she says, “I paint so you can feel what I see.” For the rest of the family, there are many new projects and collaborations on the horizon. Piero and Renzo are currently at work finishing the designs for three new motorboat models for Rivolta Yachts. Renzo also wants to further explore sculpture. “The most difficult part of design is to balance what you deem important with what has popular appeal,” he explains. “With a piece of sculpture, you have more freedom to experiment.” Piero is excited by a new venture he began last year, New Chapter Publisher. Its motto is “Changing the world… one book at a time,” and it will give voice to writers who explore the human condition. In the meantime, he has just gotten the manuscript of his third novel, The Jesuit, translated into English—he writes his first drafts by longhand in Italian—and is immersed in the editing process. As always, he goes wherever his creativity takes him. “I never decided I want to write,” he insists, “I am pushed to write. I have to.” For more information on The Rivolta Group, visit www.rivolta.com. Top to bottom: Alex and the Color of the Wind by Piero Rivolta, book cover. Painting by Rachele Rivolta. arts and culture magazine : : 61 http://www.rivolta.com
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