Grand Rapids-based Javier Torres is a Puerto Rican American artist who lives with muscular dystrophy. Through the use of digital programs, art and poetry become Torres’ voice, providing a creative way to communicate. As both a self-described self-critical overthinker and a romantic, Torres often finds himself in nature reflecting on life’s complexities.

On his experiences, Torress comments, “Living with 90% paralysis, I face countless physical limitations daily. Yet, I’ve discovered that mental barriers are far more formidable than physical ones. The most significant obstacles lie within our minds, not in our environment. We often spend months, even years, battling imaginary barriers, unaware that our greatest enemy is ourselves. I only regret what I didn’t do; the rest are invaluable life lessons.”

Through his visual art, Torres digitally mixes shapes and colors to express his journey from darkness to light. Each carefully selected color represents his emotions, ranging from deep sorrow to bright joy. His goal is to bring awareness to the unseen struggles we all face. By sharing how he has overcome and battled his own mental constraints, he reminds us that many of our limitations are self-imposed.

Explore more artwork by Javier Torres