The original item was published from October 19, 2020 1:51 PM to October 20, 2020 11:48 AM
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Mariam Paré is a visual artist turned mouth-painter after surviving an act of gun violence that left her a 20-year-old quadriplegic. She taught herself to paint by holding the brushes in her mouth and began to develop her artistic practice. Today, Mariam is a well-recognized creative talent, celebrated for her colorful portraits and multi-media works. She touches on motifs surrounding issues of gun violence and her disability experience.
In addition to painting, Mariam collaborates with other artists with disabilities to pursue disability advocacy through art. She uses a combination of digital art, painting, video, and photography to generate a unique story, using her own life to reflect the overall challenges and ambitions of the larger disabled community. Her goal is to make art that embraces a sense of beauty while simultaneously affirms disability identity and awareness.
Mariam is a member of the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA) as well as the Associate Board at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), helping with events like Art in Motion to raise funds for RIC's art therapy program. Her artistic interests are constantly morphing as she likes to experiment with traditional oil painting and modern mixed media techniques. Mariam’s work is on display in numerous private collections and venues, including the Museum of Art Vancouver, the Orlando Museum of Art, New York City Children's Museum, and the McCord Gallery."
Nominated by Deborah Venezia