Mariam Paré is an artist, disability advocate, and motivational speaker. She works in oil, acrylic and modern mixed-media techniques and collaborations in videography and photography.
Early Life
editParé was born on December 1, 1975, in Morocco. Her father was a US Marine and her mother was Moroccan.[1] She attended the College of DuPage, and at 20, was shot in her friend's car, which affected her spinal cord.[2][3] While in rehabilitation, her therapist taught her how to write with own as wll as draw. She later earned a bachelor's degree in fine art.[2]
Career
editParé, as a visual artist works on oil, acrylic and modern mixed-media techniques in videography and photography. She owns an arts studio in Naperville, Illinois.[4] Her paintings are often brightly colored depictions of people some which are imagined and others such as or Frida Kahlo. Paré presented renderings of Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford to them during her appearance on The Today Show.[5] She also shared a painting with Pierce Brosnan a painting she did of him as Agent 007.[6]
In 2016, Paré participated Art in Motion and event that featured works by nearly two dozen art therapy patients of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.[7]
Shortly after learning to use her mouth to create art, Paré connected to the Mouth & Foot Painting Artists. In 2019 she was chosen as one of the four artists to design holiday for the them.[8]
Her work has been shown galleries and festivals both internationally and domestically in the USA.[1] In 2014, her work was shown in special exhibit "Unbroke: Art After Injury" that featured the works of four artists with spinal cord injuries at the Next Door Cafe in Lincoln Park.[9] She completed a North American tour in 2015 including a stop at the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts.[10]
Paré part of the Tres Fridas Project, a collaboration with the artists Reveca Torres and Tara Ahern.[11] The project recreated iconic artworks with people with disabilities as subjects.[12] She was a featured artist in the Life Unseen project by the LIFEWTR bottled water.[13]
Paré has hosted accessible art workshops in the USA and Canada for children of all abilities.[4]
Disability advocacy
editParé is an advocate for people with spinal cord injury[14] and is a motivational speaker.
In 2017, she wrote an open letter to then US President Trump urging him to look out for disabled Americans when revising the nation's healthcare system.[15]
Awards and memberships
editParé is a member of the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Worldwide. Paré received a 3Arts Fellowship with University of Illinois at Chicago in 2020.[16]
References
edit- ^ a b "Art Talk with Mouth Painter Mariam Paré". www.arts.gov. 2018-10-30. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ a b Bowen, Alison (2021-12-06). "Artists turn to painting with mouth and feet after injuries, with one work featured on a holiday card". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ "Paralyzed By Bullet, Artist Mariam Pare Becomes Master Of Painting With Her Mouth - CBS Chicago". www.cbsnews.com. 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ a b "Independence Through Art". New Mobility. 2024-01-01. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ "Sharing The Joy Of The Christmas Card". theintelligencer.com.
- ^ "Tour Brings Mouth-Painting Artist To Florida". WUSF. 2015-10-27. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ Thometz, Kristen (May 2, 2016). "Art in Motion Showcases Talents, Progress of RIC Patients". news.wttw. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ "Work Of Naperville Artist Who Lost Use Of Her Hands, Paints By Mouth To Be Seen Worldwide - CBS Chicago". www.cbsnews.com. 2019-09-21. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ "Paralyzed Artist Creates Works That Reflect Shooting That Injured Her". DNAinfo Chicago. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ "Tour Brings Mouth-Painting Artist To Florida". Health News Florida. 2015-10-27. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ "Tres Fridas Project: Reimagining Art Through the Disability Lens: Harper College". www.harpercollege.edu. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ "The Network of Care for Seniors & People with Disabilities Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas". Lower Rio Grande Valley. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ PepsiCo. "LIFEWTR® Partners with Issa Rae to Launch "Life Unseen™," a New Platform for Fair Representation in the Arts". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ Young, Jessica Bryce. "Mouth painter Mariam Paré gives demo and talk at OMA Saturday as part of Family Day". Orlando Weekly. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ "Artist With Paralysis Paints Trump With Her Mouth". Elite Daily. 2017-01-23. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ "Student Stories: Mariam Paré". www.cod.edu. Retrieved 2024-07-20.