John Rivas creates highly expressive figurative paintings that examine socioeconomic, racial, and cultural dimensions of the lives of immigrants. His work portrays the lived experiences of close and distant family members. The thick, rough brushstrokes he employs imbue his works with raw energy, a painting style that reflects the hard work at farms, construction sites, and other labor-intensive contexts where many of his family members work. Yo Sola Lo Hice depicts the artist’s aunt and cousins in El Salvador. As in much of his work, Rivas incorporates three-dimensional objects as signifiers. He draws out the contours of his family members’ faces with affixed beans—a dietary staple for most Salvadorians, regardless of social class. Several other elements bear talismanic qualities: a child’s shoe, a bowl of tortillas, and a small water vessel represent life’s essentials. A Yankees baseball cap represents the American dream, while a stuffed mouse and fake houseplants evoke the family’s modest home in the countryside. The title alludes to his aunt’s accomplishment in ensuring the survival of her children through her own labor and determination.