"On Fire" by Chris is a 17"x21" piece created at a Hope Creates "Make Your MARC" event.

Artist Statement:
"The bright colors make me feel good. It represents happiness to me. I like the idea of making things. My guitar has fire on it. It looks cool to me. The red and orange are flames of fire. The blues are flames of water. I like the contrast of the red, orange, light blue, and dark blue. 

When I think about my guitar, I think about this program and how far I have come. Before, I was smoking, drinking, and doing other things I shouldn’t do. Now I don’t do that. I still have progress to make, but I’ve changed.

Music can mean a lot. It communicates a lot – happiness, sadness, all kinds of feelings. It is fun to make music and art, and be in this environment with these people. It is just fun and doesn’t seem hard. 

Music and art are ways to express how you feel. If there wasn’t art and music a lot of bad things would happen. It’s better to make music or paint a picture than to fight. Doing this program has helped me a lot. It helped me not think about my dad and gave me something to do. It’s been good to meet new people. Doing new things has given me confidence that I can do new things. 

I have better relationship skills and confidence in myself. I can actually try and like new things. I am happier. Before, I didn’t go to school, and I didn’t want to do this program either. My mom and my youth advisor said I had to and signed me up. Now I want to come. I like it and I chose to make art and music."