Bob Rizzo --Artist and Government Employee!

Bob Rizzo is the director of the Office of Cultural Affairs for the City of Providence. As a result, he's responsible for commissioning lots of artists, and creating an artistic atmosphere in the city of Providence. He's also an accomplished sculptor, painter, and performance artist in his own right. He recently opened up his own art gallery (The Over the Top Gallery) on the second floor of the Arcade (the oldest indoor mall in the United States, now owned by Johnson & Wales University) You can see photographs and images of his work on his website, but it's nothing like seeing the real thing. The gallery is open by appointment only. Call 401 265-8729 to make an appointment. Here's a little quote that Bob gave in an interview in Rhode Island Monthly magazine (June 1998): A lot of what I do is moving sculptures around the city. I was on a bus going downtown and the driver asked me what happened to a sculpture in front of Citizens Bank. He said he looked forward to driving by it every day. That’s what we’re trying to do – to affect their lives. It’s feasible that the average person could see three hundred sculptures in ten years without leaving their state and without entering a museum. We’re trying to grow that whole experience. I’m always looking for the next big thing – like WaterFire. I never knew that it would be as successful as it is. Do I feel pressure? No, I don’t allow that. That would make me crazier than I am. About the ponytail – I’ve been growing it since 1973. I promised myself that the day I got out of the Army I would never cut my hair or shave every morning. It is kind of a running joke. Obviously I’m the only guy in government who has one. There’ve been suggestions that I cut it off for fund-raising purposes, but I won’t do that. I said I would never cut my hair, and if I can’t keep a promise to myself then who can I keep one to?