Mariam Paré became a quadriplegic at the age of twenty after surviving an act of gun violence. The injury caused Mariam to lose the use of her hands, so she taught herself to paint by holding a brush in her mouth. After pursuing degrees in fine art and design, Mariam continued to refine her technique and develop her career as a professional artist and mouth painter. Working primarily in oil and acrylic, Mariam’s paintings often blend realism with imaginative elements. She is celebrated for her colorful still lifes, portraits, and mixed-media works, which have been exhibited in galleries in the U.S. and reproduced in MFPA products worldwide. She became a student member of the (MFPA) in 2006, advanced to Associate Member in 2016, and achieved Full Member status in 2023. Mariam paints from her home studio in the western suburbs of Chicago and deeply enjoys the opportunity to share her art with others. She is a 3Arts Fellow and part of the Disability Culture Leadership Initiative of Chicago in affiliation with the University of Illinois at Chicago. In addition to creating new paintings for MFPA, she is active in exhibitions, community projects, and collaborations that promote inclusion and highlight the work of artists with disabilities. Mariam now resides in Chicago, Illinois.

Mariam was promoted to Full Member in 2023.

Pictured above: “Tomatillos ” by Paré.