This unusual, lyrical one-hour documentary will take you on a journey into the inner world of artist, David Riffle. A Vietnam vet, his prolific body of work creates fantastical worlds of 1960s trailers, giant dogs, the mystical found in nature, and rising waters. The documentary features many works that haven't been seen in public for years - if ever.
He painted every day, as he is compelled to do. He calls creating "a nervous itch he has to scratch." He had a work selected by the Smithsonian, had solo shows at the Clay Center and Sunrise, has won the WV Juried Show three times, as well as Exhibit 280, and a Fellowship from the Mid-Atlantic Arts.
Riffle took a twelve-year pause from his artwork, to build, with his daughter, a remarkable, non-traditional house, high up a West Virginia mountain. They used mainly recycled materials and natural materials from his land. One friend calls it a shrine.
He has now returned to working on art daily, now exploring more 3-dimensional methods and portraiture.
David Riffle is a humble, soft-spoken man of few words, but in this documentary, he speaks as he never has before. After a day of interviews, his jaw was sore from so much talking. He is helped by others including:
Molly Erlandson, former wife and lifelong friend
Harold Edwards, artist and lifelong friend
Ric Ambrose, former Clay Center Curator and artist, now living in California
Ellie Schaul, former Gallery Manager of The Art Store and artist
Nora Riffle, daughter, BFA graduate and an emerging fashion designer & artist
A documentary by WVPB Senior Producer, John Nakashima
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