He wants to ‘thrive’ in prison. This years-long mural project helps him do that

ORDWAY, Colo. — Mario Rios’ paintings have graced the walls of the Colorado State Capitol, SUNY Fredonia and the Museum of Art Fort Collins. But his most ambitious project yet is also the most exclusive, on view only within Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility, where Rios is serving a life sentence without parole.

Over the last seven years, Rios has transformed the hallway of the prison’s mental health wing into a floor-to-ceiling mural. Titled “Metamorphosis of Change,” the mural is inspired by the story of Frankenstein’s monster.

Rios, 47, has been incarcerated for 19 years. The mural has been a work-in-progress for more than a third of that time. The artwork, he said, is a source of pride, an opportunity for reflection and a chance to connect with other incarcerated people.

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