Meet Mauricio…

Mauricio, 34
Incarcerated: 2 years
Housed: La Paz Maximum Security Prison, Itagui, Medellín, Colombia

Diane: I want to hear about your tattoos because I hear you’re an artist.

Mauricio: My tattoos, well, I’m a professional tattoo artist. That’s what I do here. This is what brings me a bit of calmness and lets me feel removed from all the issues and troubles. 

Diane: What part of being an artist makes you calm?

Mauricio: One way is the sensation of the other person being happy with the tattoo when I finish and to see their reaction and happiness. Also, it doesn’t allow me to overthink things outside. I’m focused for a lot of hours on the tattoo. I tattoo myself when I’m super stressed.