James De La Vega

“Believe in yourself and stop trying to convince others.”

“The pressure of survival in the big city will make you lose sight of your dream... Hang in there.”

“I encourage everyone to become their dream. Most young people get sidetracked and never end up doing what they really set out to do.”

“Become your dream.”

“I want people to take pride in Spanish Harlem. These are people that everyone in the community could relate to... people who mean something special to us.”

“Enjoy the day as if it were your last.”

“I like the idea of the artist going out in the world, creating a dialogue.”

“I want to get people thinking.”

“Beauty magazines make my girlfriend feel ugly.”

“I was blown away by being able to color. Then I started to draw... bringing a blank white canvas to life was fascinating.”