Felix G. Rivera
Felix Rivera moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to pursue doctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley in 1968. His pursuit of rock climbing and mountaineering gave his interest in suiseki a more hands-on, or tactile perspective. As Mr. Rivera enjoyed climbing in such varied locations as Yosemite, the United Kingdom's Welsh countryside, the French and Italian Alps, and Italy's Dolomites, he reflected on what it would be like to collect one of these famous peaks in miniature. In his desire to "own" famous rock climbing locations he visualized them as suiseki. In the mid-1970s he made contact with Japanese-American suiseki aficionados who introduced him to classic suiseki collecting locations in Northern California. Mr. Rivera joined the San Francisco Suiseki Kai in the mid-1980s and had the honor of studying with the esteemed, Mr. Keiseki Hirotsu. You can read more about him in Mr. Rivera's book.

Mr. Rivera's studies and teachings in suiseki have led him to lecture throughout the United States--to bonsai clubs and mineral and gem societies and other interested groups. He lectured at the Second World Bonsai Congress, in Orlando, Florida in 1993, and has been a keynote speaker at the European Suiseki Association Exhibition in France. Mr. Rivera also lectured at suiseki exhibitions in Puerto Rico and Spain. In August, 1998, he lectured at the Bonsai Clubs International's International Bonsai Congress in Puerto Rico. In October, 1998, he lectured and judged at the first ever all-Italy Suiseki Conference, Associazone Italiana Amatori Suiseki. In May, 1999, he went to Toledo, Spain to give a lecture and demonstration.

Felix G. Rivera is founder and instructor of the California Suiseki Society in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been a practitioner of suiseki since 1964. You can reach Felix and talk to him about suiseki by e-mailing to felixr@dnai.com or you can visit his Web site at http://www.felixrivera-suiseki.com.