>> ART IS IMPORTANT TO SOCIETY BECAUSE IT IS THE WAY THAT WE EXPRESS OURSELVES.

>> ART IS MY LANGUAGE FOR HAPPINESS AND SORROW AND JUSTICE AND PEACE AGAINST HATE.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO SHARE ART BECAUSE ART FOR ME IS LIKE A LITTLE PIECE OF ME, PEOPLE GET TO SEE DIFFERENT FACETS OF MY MIND.

>> I WANT TO CREATE ARTWORK THAT WILL BRING US TOGETHER SO WE CAN SEE EACH OTHER'S HUMAN SPIRIT AND HAVE THAT CONNECTION.

>> THE ANTITHESIS OF DEPRESSION IS EXPRESSION.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] THERE'S SOMETHING SO FREEING AND MAGICAL ABOUT NOT HAVING TO EXIST AS ANYTHING BUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE.

WHEN YOU WALK INTO REACH STUDIO, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU'RE GOING, YOU ARE JUST A HUMAN.

>> APPARENTLY I NEED TO DO SOME MIXED-MEDIA ART.

>> TWO CLAPS ON TWO, ONE, TWO.

>> MY NAME IS MOE GRAM, I AM THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR HERE AT REDLINE CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER.

REACH IS A PROGRAM HERE AT REDLINE WHERE ANY COMMUNITY PARTNER WHO IS SUPPORTING HUMANS WHO ARE DEALING WITH LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES WE HAVE A SPACE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO CREATE ARTWORK WHERE THE BAR AND BARRIER TO ENTRY IS VERY VERY LOW WE PROVIDE ALL THE MATERIALS AND THE SPACE, AND ALL THAT MATTERS IS ENJOYING ONESELF FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE THEY HAVE TO GO BACK OUT INTO THE WORLD.

>> TO ME WHAT DRAWS ME TO REACH IS NOT THE SPACE IT'S MY FELLOW ARTISTS.

THAT ARE THERE.

TO BE PART OF A COMMUNITY AS WE ARE GROWING TOGETHER AND DOING ART AND WELCOMING OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.

>>WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS DRAWING EXERCISE SO IN YOUR TABLES YOU HAVE CADDIES, YOU HAVE OIL PASTELS AND A WIDE RANGE OF MATERIALS.

>> REACH IS THIS WONDERFUL GROUP AT REDLINE THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO BRING TOGETHER ARTISTS FROM ALL DIFFERENT STRIPES AND WALKS OF LIFE INTO THIS SPACE TO BE ABLE TO CREATE TOGETHER AND HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.

>>NOW ANYBODY WHO'S PARTICIPATED IN THE REACH PROGRAM FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS, THEY ARE NOW ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CORE ARTIST PROGRAM.

AND THE REACH CORE ARTISTS PROGRAM IS FOR ANY PERSON WHO IS INTERESTED TO LEARN HOW TO SELL THEIR ARTWORK OR FURTHER DEVELOP THEIR CREATIVE PRACTICE WITH THE INTENTION THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO CREATE A BUSINESS OR GENERATE A PROFIT FROM THINGS THEY CREATE.

>> I LOVE MY CORE ARTIST FAMILY, THEY ARE SO SUPPORTIVE, SO NICE AND CARING.

I HEARD SO MANY STORIES OF STARVING ARTISTS THAT I WAS LIKE IT'S JUST A DISTANT DREAM.

AND REDLINE IS DEFINITELY HELPED ME REALIZE THAT IT'S VERY TANGIBLE.

>> WE HAVE NOW THIS SORT OF CONNECTION BUT DELINEATION BETWEEN REACH STUDIO WHERE WE JUST ALL COME TOGETHER AND WE ARE ABLE TO CREATE AND THEN THE CORE ARTIST PROGRAM IS A PATH TO A PROFESSIONAL FREEDOM.

>> AND WHAT WE DO IN THE SPACE IS WE WORK ON BUILDING OUR CRAFT SO THAT WAY WE CAN GENERATE A REVENUE THAT SUPPORTS THIS CREATIVITY THAT WE ALL HAVE.

THERE'S A LOT TO ACCOMPLISH.

THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE IS VERY DIFFERENT FOR EVERYBODY AND THAT FLEXIBILITY CAN BE VERY VERY IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE FOR PEOPLE.

AND SO IF YOU CREATE A LIFE FOR YOURSELF AND YOU CREATE A WAY TO GENERATE REVENUE FOR YOURSELF THAT ALLOWS YOU THE AUTONOMY OVER YOUR TIME AND THAT FLEXIBILITY, REALLY BEAUTIFUL THINGS CAN HAPPEN THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT CAN HAPPEN AS WELL.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> WHAT I LOVE ABOUT CRISTAL'S WORK IS THERE IS POTENCY IN STORYTELLING.

IT COMES THROUGH AND EVERY TIME YOU LOOK AT ONE OF HER IMAGES, YOU GET THE SENSE THAT IS EVEN JUST BEYOND WORDS, EVEN BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN PERCEIVE IN THAT MOMENT, AND THEN WHEN SHE GOES AND EXPLAINS THAT, IT JUST OPENS UP AN ENTIRELY NEW LEVEL.

>> I'VE HONESTLY PROBABLY ONLY TALKED TO CRISTAL IN THE LAST WEEK AND SHE'S BEEN ONE OF THE FRIENDLIEST PEOPLE I'VE MET HERE.

BUT THE WEIRD THING IS THAT DESPITE NOT REALLY TALKING TO HER, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT HER ARTWORK ALL THE TIME AND IT'S LIKE SHE'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE ARTISTS HERE AND I DID NOT EVEN KNOW WHO WAS MAKING THESE ART PIECES.

SHE REALLY GOES BIG AND I LOVE THAT ABOUT HER, JUST THE WAY IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL AND I LOVE HER DRAWING SKILLS.

SHE'S A VERY TALENTED ARTIST AND A LOT OF HER STYLE REMINDS ME OF WHAT I SEE MYSELF DOING MORE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

SHE'S VERY INSPIRING TO ME.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT THINGS I PAINT ABOUT, JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THAT MOVES ME SOMEHOW I WILL PAINT IT.

I HAVE PAINTED A LOT ABOUT EXPERIENCES OF BEING HOMELESS.

I HAD BEEN HOMELESS FROM ESCAPING AN ABUSIVE PERSON WITH MY DAUGHTER WHEN SHE WAS LITTLE.

I WOULD DRAW AT A PARK AND IN ORDER TO STAY SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW I WOULD GO AND DRAW ALL NIGHT, I WOULD DRAW ON THE NAPKIN OR WHATEVER, AND I KEPT ART ALIVE.

ART KEPT ME ALIVE ACTUALLY.

I TRIED TO DO OTHER THINGS IN MY LIFE AND I ALWAYS WENT BACK TO ART SOMEHOW, IT'S JUST A PART OF WHO I AM.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> MY NAME IS CRISTAL DARLINA AND I AM AN ARTIST AND MY FATHER HAS BEEN AN ARTIST HIS WHOLE LIFE, AND I GREW UP OBSERVING HIM DO HIS ARTWORK, AND I NOTICED THE THINGS THAT HE PAINTED ABOUT, ESPECIALLY POLICE BRUTALITY, HE WAS PAINTING IMAGES OF THE KKK AND JUST USING ART TO GIVE VOICE TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF STRUGGLES AND INJUSTICES AND ALSO TO GIVE HOPE AND SO I HAVE JUST TRIED TO CREATE ART LIKE THAT ALL MY LIFE.

I BELIEVE THAT ART COULD GIVE VOICE TO PEOPLE NOT NORMALLY HEARD.

IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND SO THAT'S WHAT I LEARNED ART CAN BE USED FOR.

>> WE'RE AT MY DAUGHTER'S AND SON-IN-LAWS HOUSE, THEY'VE BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO LET ME USE THIS ROOM AS A STUDIO SO WE ARE IN FIVE POINTS DENVER.

SO I'M GOING TO PAINT THE VIOLIN RED TO MATCH THE CHEST, WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL BIRD FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO.

AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE PEACE DOVE TO US.

I LOVE COLORS AND I LOVE DIFFERENT MEDIUMS SUCH AS OIL AND ACRYLIC.

I LOVE TO DRAW AND OBSERVING MY FATHER ALWAYS DRAWING HIS IDEA FIRST AND THEN APPLYING IT TO THE MURAL.

YOU KNOW THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I LEARNED AND OTHER TIMES I WOULD JUST GO FOR DIFFERENT PAINT AND DIFFERENT MEDIUMS WILL DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF THAT PAINTING.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] THIS PAINTING IS TITLED PROMISE, I PAINTED IT IN 2017.

IT SHOWS A WOMAN LIKE MY SISTER, MYSELF, OR MY COUSINS, OR SOMETHING.

THEY ARE KIND OF BEING ALMOST STRANGLED BY THINGS LIKE RACISM.

THE SO-CALLED FIGURE OF JUSTICE, THE ICONIC IMAGE OF A WOMAN HOLDING THE SCALES OF JUSTICE, JUSTICE FOR WHO IS WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.

IS JUSTICE FOR WOMEN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED BRUTALITY AND HATRED OR ONLY FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE?

I HAVE HAD EXES TELL ME YOUR ART IS NOT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU'RE DOING THAT ART.

SOMEONE ACTUALLY HIT ME AND WOULD BEAT ME UP, HE WAS REALLY JEALOUS OF MY ARTWORK.

THAT MADE ME QUESTION THE ARTWORK.

THAT I WAS DOING, THAT I WANTED TO DO IT.

I THINK IT WAS AFTER THAT THAT I STARTED WORKING WITH THE CHILDREN I WORKED WITH PEOPLE RECOVERING FROM ADDICTION.

AND I WOULD BE DRAWING THEIR PICTURES.

AS I WAS DRAWING AND TALKING WITH THEM WE WOULD MAKE A HUMAN CONNECTION AND THEY HELPED ME REALIZE THAT ART IS SO POWERFUL AND IT'S HELPING ME HEAL.

I LEFT HIM BECAUSE I KNEW HE WAS GOING TO KILL ME AND MY DAUGHTER.

HE THREATENED TO KILL MY FATHER ONCE AND THREATENED TO KILL HIMSELF.

I REALIZED LET HIM KILL ME.

I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT DIGNITY IF I STAY WITH HIM.

ART IS A REFLECTION OF DIFFERENT POINTS IN AN ARTIST'S LIFE.

IN MY LIFE.

MAYBE SHE'S GIVING LIFE, MAYBE SHE'S ASKING FOR LIFE, MAYBE SHE'S ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS OR GIVING FORGIVENESS.

SHE COULD BE A SHOPLIFTER, SHE COULD HAVE HANDCUFFS ON, SHE COULD BE RECEIVING SOMETHING AND SO I LIKE HOW IT CAN BE INTERPRETED IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

I'M LOOKING FOR JUST THE RIGHT BRUSH.

THE ONLY LIVING I MAKE IS THROUGH MY ARTWORK SO I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT AND I LOOK BACK IN MY LIFE AND AT THE SINGLE MOM WHO WAS WORKING SO HARD AND HAD DIFFERENT JOBS AT THE SAME TIME ESCAPING VIOLENCE, I WOULD TELL HER YOU ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING.

AND THAT'S GOOD THAT YOUR ART IS PART OF THAT RIGHT THING.

ART IS SO IMPORTANT IN SOCIETY YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH HATE, SO MUCH VIOLENCE AND CORRUPTION.

AND GREED AND DISPARITY.

ART IS MY LANGUAGE.

YOU KNOW FOR HAPPINESS OR SORROW.

FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE AGAINST HATE.

I WANT TO CREATE ARTWORK THAT WILL BRING US TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN SEE EACH OTHER'S HUMAN SPIRIT AND HAVE THAT CONNECTION.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> I THINK THAT THE ART THAT MATT DOES IS PHENOMENAL.

IT IS SO SPIRITUAL AND MOVING, IT TEACHES SUCH A BEAUTIFUL LESSON ABOUT OUR OWN SPIRITUALITY AND KIND OF OUR ROLE IN THE UNIVERSE.

I JUST SEE MATT AS SUCH A FRIEND TO EVERYONE, AND ALSO YOU KNOW LIKE BROTHER AND A FELLOW ARTIST.

I DEFINITELY LEARNED A LOT ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO WORK ON ART A LOT IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

LIKE I SEE HIM CONSTANTLY DRAWING AND I JUST SEE HIM CONSTANTLY BETTERING HIS SKILLS.

AND LIKE EVOLVING AS AN ARTIST WHICH I THINK IS VERY COOL.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DRAWN TO THE HERO'S JOURNEY AT DIFFERENT PARTS OF MY LIFE, I ALWAYS LOVED STORYTELLING.

IN THE CORNER HERE WE HAVE THE DOVE WHICH REPRESENTS REDEMPTION, I CALL THIS CRUCIFIED ENTITY OF ID, AND IT FEATURES SIEGFRED AS A DRAGONSLAYER.

I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER GOING TO LIKE BARNES & NOBLE'S AND THEY HAVE THE MYTHOLOGY BOOK AND THEN YOU CRACK IT OPEN AND IT'S JUST GREEK MYTHOLOGY WHICH GREEK IS AWESOME AND EVERYTHING, LIKE THAT BUT MYTH IS SO MUCH BROADER THAN THAT.

LIKE EVERY REGION OF THE WORLD HAS MYTHIC REPRESENTATIONS AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY DEEP AND REALLY SPEAKS TO THE UNIVERSALNESS OF THESE DIFFERENT MYTHS, THE WAYS THAT TIE INTO THE HUMAN PSYCHE AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I REALLY WANT TO TAP INTO AND EXPRESS THROUGH THE ARTWORK.

THIS ONE WAS INSPIRED BY A DREAM THAT MY WIFE HELENA HAD, WHERE THESE WINGS SUPERNATURAL BEINGS GO ON THIS ADVENTURE TOGETHER.

MY NAME IS MATT MAES, I'M A VISUAL ARTIST AND I SPECIALIZE IN SURREAL MYTHICAL ART.

ART IS IMPORTANT TO SOCIETY BECAUSE IT IS THE WAY THAT WE EXPRESS OURSELVES.

THE ANTITHESIS OF DEPRESSION.

IS EXPRESSION.

WHEN I WAS ABOUT SEVEN YEARS OLD, I WAS PLAYING THIS VIDEO GAME WITH MY BEST FRIEND AT THE TIME AND WE WERE TAKING A BREAK AND WENT UP TO HIS ATTIC AND HE PRESENTS ME WITH A PENCIL AND PAPER.

AND I HAVE THE COVER OF THE MARIO GAME IN MY HAND SO I'M SITTING THERE TRYING TO EMULATE ALL THE LINES ON THE COVER AND I HAVE THIS AMAZING EUPHORIC FEELING YOU JUST WANT TO DO IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN SO THAT'S THE FEELING THAT I'VE BEEN CHASING EVER SINCE.

ASPERGERS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS AFFECTED MY JOURNEY SINCE I WAS ABOUT 18, ASPERGERS IS A NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION AND IS OFTEN TERMED AS LIKE BEING ON THE SPECTRUM.

AT THE TIME I WAS GOING THROUGH A TON OF MOOD SWINGS, I WAS SOCIALLY AWKWARD, I WOULD GET SO ANXIOUS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE.

SO I WAS JUST SEVERELY DEPRESSED AT THE TIME, ARTS AND MUSIC WERE REALLY THE ONLY THINGS THAT I COULD HOLD ONTO.

WE ARE IN MY STUDY-O WHICH I CALLED IT BECAUSE IT'S HALF STUDY AND HALF STUDIO.

THIS IS THE LAKSHMI PIECE FROM THE GODDESS SERIES I'M WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

AND SHE REPRESENTS ABUNDANCE.

ONE OF THE TRADE OFFS OF THAT, IS THERE IS THIS HYPERFOCUS RIGHT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SAY IS PRETTY CHARACTERISTIC OF PEOPLE WITH ASPERGERS, FOR ME IT HAPPENS TO BE ART.

I JUST GENUINELY DOWN TO MY BONES LOVE ART.

AND I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL PITY, THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT HAS HEL ME BACK FROM ANNOUNCING TO THE WORLD THAT I HAVE ASPERGER'S FRANKLY.

I JUST WANT YOU TO TREAT ME LIKE A NORMAL PERSON.

I WANT YOU TO SEE ME AS I AM.

I'M ABOUT TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF NOW.

MEDITATION HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO ME FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS BECAUSE IT'S A WAY FOR ME TO GET CENTERED WITH MYSELF.

BEING ABLE TO CUT OUT A LOT OF THE NOISE IT'S THE MEDITATION SPACE ITSELF FOR ME, IT'S A PLACE OF BEAUTY, AS A SANCTUARY I CAN GO TO DAILY AND IMMERSE MYSELF REFRESH MYSELF AND REMIND MYSELF OF THAT BEAUTY EVERY SINGLE DAY.

BECOMING WHO I AM AS AN ARTIST TODAY I JUST STARTED WITH WHAT I LOVE.

I WANT TO START WITH CURIOSITY AND BASE IT AROUND AN IDEA OR CONCEPT, SOMETHING LIKE THE GODDESS SERIES I'M WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, SO I WILL START OUT SOMEWHAT SMALLER AND START WITH A SKETCH BOOK, PIECE OF PAPER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THEN I WILL GET THE VERY DETAILED SKETCH, AND DO THE ACRYLIC PAINT ON THERE AND SOMETIMES I EVEN THROW IN SOME MICRON ARTISTS PEN AND REALLY I WILL GO UNTIL IT'S VERY CLEAN AND VERY DETAILED.

THERE ALWAYS ARRIVES A POINT IN THE PIECE WHERE I FEEL THAT THERE IS LIKE A PRESENCE IN IT.

WHERE IT HAS ITS OWN PERSONALITY OR THERE'S A LIFE COMING THROUGH IT.

I WANT TO BRING OUT THE VERY SOUL OF EVERY PIECE THAT I DO.

SO THIS IS XAVIER MY SON, HE HAS HIS KOALA AND HIS CAMPBELL HE HAS AN EAGLE.

THIS IS GRAY HE HAS HIS WOLF AND THEN THERE'S ME IN THE CENTER THERE.

BECAUSE I AM THE BIP MASTER.

ADVICE I WOULD GIVE TO MY YOUNGER SELF, IS SOME ADVICE THAT MY DAD HAS GIVEN ME FOR YEARS, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HE HAS TAUGHT ME IS PERSISTENCE.

IT'S NOT YOUR BRAINS OR LEVEL OF SKILL, IT'S KEEPING ON GOING.

IF I COULD SEE BACK THEN, WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW, I KIND OF LIVE FOR THAT SELF, LIKE I FEEL LIKE IN A LOT OF WAYS I LIVE TO AVENGE THE 18-YEAR-OLD DEPRESSED KID THAT DID NOT KNOW WHERE HE WAS GOING AND DID NOT KNOW HIS TRUE SELF.

AND I WISH THAT THEN I COULD SEE NOW LOOKING BACK ON THE ROAD.

LEADING UP TO THIS POINT RIGHT NOW, IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

AND TO KNOW THAT ART LED ME HERE.

>> WHEN I FIRST MET KESIENA IT WAS WHEN SHE WAS PAINTING THAT PAINTING OVER THERE.

AND I WAS LIKE WOW, I LOVE THE WATERCOLORS AND EVERYTHING THAT SHE WAS PAINTING HER ART REFLECTS WHO SHE IS AND SO I'VE BEEN REALLY IMPRESSED BY HER STORY AND STRENGTH.

YOU KNOW IT'S AMAZING.

>> WHAT I SEE ABOUT KESIENA'S WORK REFLECTS THIS DEEP VIBRANCE.

THE ARTWORK IS A PORTAL INTO HER MIND AND THAT SPEAKS TO A LEVEL OF RICHNESS AND DEPTH AND VIBRANCY THAT COMES THROUGH HER AND THERE IS MORE AND MORE AND MORE THAT COMES OUT.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> I KIND OF JUST START PAINTING FOR THE MOST PART.

I THINK ART IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S KIND OF PERMANENT, LIKE YOU GO WAY WAY WAY BACK IN TIME.

THE THINGS WE REMEMBER FROM CAVEMEN WERE LIKE THE WALL PAINTINGS IN THE CAVES.

FROM THE RENAISSANCE, ALL THIS ART IS JUST A KIND OF HOW HUMANITY IS ABLE TO LOOK BACK.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT HOW MUCH ART REALLY DEPICTS WHAT'S GOING ON IN A HUMAN'S MIND.

I REALLY FEEL LIKE IT'S KIND OF A LANGUAGE ON ITS OWN, LIKE IT COMES FROM YOUR HEART.

SO ART HAS KIND OF BEEN A WAY FOR ME TO EXPRESS WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY MIND, IT'S LIKE A PORTAL INTO MY MIND.

IT'S WHAT I ENJOY DOING MAKING THESE WEIRD SHAPES I GUESS.

MY NAME IS KESIENA SEBENI AND I GO BY KESI.

I LIVE IN DENVER COLORADO.

I GO TO SCHOOL NEARBY ON THE CAMPUS, I AM A BIOLOGY MAJOR KIND OF FOCUSING ON ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND I WORK AS AN ARTIST PART-TIME AT REDLINE.

I FEEL LIKE I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED I'M AN ARTIST INTERNALLY.

I'VE BEEN CREATING ARTWORK SINCE I WAS A TINY CHILD.

SO IT'S ALWAYS BEEN INNATE IN ME TO MAKE ART BECAUSE IT RELAXES ME.

I DRAW A LOT OF FEMALE FACES, KIND OF LIKE ON MY ASSIGNMENTS.

HERE I DREW A FLOWER WITH AN EYE BALL ON MY HOMEWORK.

I JUST LOVE EYES, I LOVE COLORS, COLORS AROUND MY ROOM YOU CAN TELL THERE'S A LOT OF PATTERNS.

MY MOM IS INDIAN AND IN INDIAN CULTURE THERE'S A LOT OF SCARVES AND CLOTHS AND SARIS WHICH ARE JUST COLORFUL VERY COLORFUL.

AND MY DAD ALSO HE'S NIGERIAN IN THE NIGERIAN CULTURE THERE'S A LOT OF HEADDRESS AND CLOTHING AND IT'S ALSO VERY COLORFUL.

SO I TRY TO PUT AS MUCH COLORS INTO MY ARTWORK, THIS IS WHEN I WAS STILL INTO ACRYLICS IT WAS EXHIBITED AND GOT SOLD OFF THE WALL AND I STARTED OFF WITH A LOT OF ACRYLIC MEDIUM BUT I ALSO DID NOT REALLY LIKE USING ACRYLIC BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF LIKE LIQUID PLASTIC AND AS A BIOLOGY MAJOR WHO IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, I WASN'T VERY PROUD OF MYSELF, WHILE I WAS AT THE GALLERY ONE DAY I FOUND MY LITTLE WATERCOLOR CONTAINER AND I STARTED EXPERIMENTING WITH IT AND MESSING WITH IT.

AND I STARTED CREATING THESE WHOLE NEW DIFFERENT PIECES THAT WERE SO ORGANIC TO ME.

THAT'S THE THING WE NEED TO REMEMBER, IS IF IT LOOKS BAD ADD MORE WATER AND IT WILL BLEND IN.

I TRY TO PUT A LOT OF MY EMOTIONS ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THINGS INTO MY ARTWORK.

FROM THE FEELING OF DREAD OF LIKE OH MY GOSH, OUR PLANET IS BURNING UP TO THE SIMPLE BEAUTY OF THE WORLD WITH THE FLOWERS AND THE SKY AND COLORS IN GENERAL.

I FEEL LIKE I'M CONNECTED TO NATURE BECAUSE WE AS HUMANS WOULD NOT EXIST BEFORE THE ANIMALS AND BEFORE THE ANIMALS ANIMALS DID NOT EXIST BEFORE THE PLANTS, THEN JUST GO SMALLER AND SMALLER AND SMALLER, THE FIRST ORGANISM WAS LIKE A TINY MICROORGANISM.

LIKE THE FACT THAT I'M 60% GENETICALLY THE SAME AS A BANANA IS KIND OF LIKE YOU KNOW MAYBE THE WHOLE WORLD ALL THE PLANTS AND STUFF HAVE A CONNECTION TO ME.

SO YEAH, HERE'S AN APPLE, I WAS WORKING ON SHADING IN THE BEGINNING, SO KIND OF A ROUGH SKETCH, I THINK THIS IS A WOMAN FROM BEHIND.

I LOVE PAINTING BODIES, ESPECIALLY FEMININE FIGURES.

I LOVE PAINTING ABOUT WOMEN IN GENERAL.

HOW IT FEELS TO BE A WOMAN THAT'S EXPLOITED.

I GREW UP IN CALIFORNIA, I STARTED DATING THE WRONG GUY AND HE STARTED MAKING MY LIFE A LIVING HELL.

HE STALKED ME, HARASSED ME AND WOULD SHOW UP AT MY JOB AND JUST MADE THINGS VERY HARD TO DEAL WITH.

AND EVENTUALLY AS THE VIOLENCE AND SCARY STUFF KEPT HAPPENING, AND IT NO LONGER BECAME JUST ME AND HIM BUT IT BECAME MY FAMILY GOT AFFECTED, MY OTHER FRIENDS GOT AFFECTED, THAT'S WHEN I KNEW THAT SOMETHING HAD TO CHANGE.

SO I HAD TO COME UP HERE TO HIDE, THANKFULLY HE'S IN PRISON FOR FIVE YEARS NOW, WHICH IS FANTASTIC BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO FEEL UNSAFE EVER AGAIN.

BUT I DECIDED TO STAY UP HERE BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE COLORADO.

I HONESTLY FEEL SAFE HERE.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> I REALLY HIDE A LOT OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW I CAME TO COLORADO AND I DON'T LIKE PEOPLE LOOKING AT ME AS A VICTIM I WOULD JUST RATHER MOVE ON AND SHOW HOW STRONG I AM BUT WE ARE JUST HUMAN AND LIFE CAN BE HARD SOMETIMES BUT ANYBODY CAN GET OUT THERE AND MAKE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES IF THEY JUST SUDDENLY THINK TO THEMSELVES HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT I DESERVE BETTER AND I DESERVE TO DO SOMETHING BETTER WITH MY LIFE.

>> THIS IS MORE THE STUFF THAT REPRESENTS ME BUT I WOULD NOT TELL YOU THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO PAINT.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHARE ART.

ART FOR ME IS LIKE A LITTLE PIECE OF ME.

WHEN I PUT ARTWORK ON EXHIBITS, PEOPLE GET TO SEE DIFFERENT FACETS OF MY MIND.

ART HAS REALLY HELPED ME LOOK INTO MY EMOTIONS AND KIND OF SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY MIND BECAUSE SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF THOUGHTS AND THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY THAT ARE IN MY HEAD BUT I CAN'T REALLY SAY IT AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE IT'S A LANGUAGE IN ITSELF.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> SO THIS IS A SPONTANEOUS LESSON IN OIL PAINTING, IT'S JUST KIND OF AN EXPERIMENT TO JUST PAINT WHATEVER WE WANT ON THIS CANVAS.

AND SO NOW WE'RE JUST GOING TO START PAINTING AND HAVING FUN.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING]