"Rhapsody"

Museum-quality giclée Epson matte paper | Sustainably sourced Ayus wood frame | Hanging hardware included

My name is Joaquin Mares. I'm an artist. I began my creative journey almost as soon as I could walk. Supplied with only a few crayons, a big imagination, and a blank space on the kitchen wall in my parents' home, I took my first step on a path that would forever define my identity as an artist. Many years have passed since then. As I retrace the path I've taken. Along this extraordinary journey, I can't help but marvel at the countless ways art has colored my life's experiences. I was born in Denver, CO on May 13, 1972. Like any other kid, I spent most of my early years, rescuing damsels in distress and slaying seven-headed beasts. In a world created in my own imagination. However, that make-believe world wasn't just a place I went to for fun. It was also where I sought refuge. In the midst of the trauma, I experienced throughout my childhood. Art was just a natural extension of that creative aspect of myself, the channel through which I expressed my hyper-active imagination. With the exception of the basic instruction, I received in elementary and junior high school art classes, I learned most of what I know about art outside the classroom. Growing up, I had always dreamed of going to art school, but as an under-privileged, un-educated, Hispanic kid from the "hood," realizing that dream seemed infinity beyond my reach. I dropped out of school in the 9th grade. Just a few years later at the age of 20, I was sent to prison for life. Fast-forward 29 years, and I'm still creating art. Only now do I do so as if my life depends on it. I made my first serious attempt at painting about 8 years ago. I haven't looked back since. Of the many positive gains I've made throughout my incarceration, none have powered me to realize my potential for change more successfully than the saving grace I have found in art. I now view my life as a testimony to the redemptive power of art, and I am humbled by the ways in which art has abled me to serve others. It is in this manner that I strive to better myself with the hope that I may not only become the artist I aspire to be but also the best person I can be. Today, when I gaze at my reflection in the mirror, I am thrilled to see that I am no longer the same broken adolescent. My name is Joaquin Mares. I am an artist...