Mariam Paré
Visual Art
Naperville, IL
Mariam Paré is the recipient of the Craig H. Neilsen Fellowship.
Mariam Fatima Paré is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Chicago, best known for her expressive portraiture and surrealist compositions. Her work explores themes of identity, resilience, and the lived experience of disability. After surviving a spinal cord injury due to gun violence at age twenty, she adapted her creative practice by learning to paint using her mouth—a process that transformed her approach to art and deepened her understanding of creative expression as both personal and political.
Born in Morocco and raised in the U.S., Mariam’s early life was shaped by complex challenges, including growing up in foster care. Despite these obstacles, she discovered a passion for drawing and painting at a young age and was pursuing a degree in art when her injury occurred. During rehabilitation, an occupational therapist introduced her to mouth painting, sparking a journey of relearning and rediscovery. Over the past two decades, she has refined this method into a dynamic and professional practice.
Mariam is a member of the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA), a global organization supporting disabled artists, and is widely recognized for her leadership and contributions to disability arts. She is the creator of Tres Fridas, a groundbreaking reimagining of iconic artworks through the lens of disability, and her work has been featured in exhibitions across the country, including at the Chicago Cultural Center, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and the University of Utah Rehabilitation Hospital. Her paintings are held in both private and institutional collections, including those of actor Pierce Brosnan and the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation.
In addition to her studio work, Mariam is deeply committed to advocacy and visibility for artists with disabilities. She regularly leads workshops, gives public talks, and mentors emerging artists navigating access and identity in the arts. Her creative practice blends traditional media with innovative modes of storytelling, often incorporating elements of digital media, symbolism, and text.
Mariam is currently expanding her work into more immersive formats, including large-scale public art and collaborative projects. She is particularly interested in how art can challenge social narratives and create new frameworks of representation. She views residencies as a powerful opportunity for both experimentation and focused growth, and is eager to use her time at Regdale to deepen her exploration of conceptual themes while developing new work that bridges painting and installation.
Through all of her work, Mariam remains focused on creating art that is thought-provoking, emotionally resonant, and rooted in lived experience. Her practice is both a personal declaration of agency and a celebration of the human spirit’s ability to adapt, endure, and transform."