Marcos Raya

Raya remembers his encounter with Chávez Morado, who was known for creating street murals with strong political meaning,[6] and recalls his sentiment towards him and his work, "I talked to him about how he mixed his paint and his beautiful images.

"[1] Influenced by his encounter with Chávez Morado, Raya moved to Chicago and enrolled at Crane High School where he met an art teacher named Jeff Gottlieb.

[7] The Chicano term, which was formed under a prticualr historical context, has come to represent rebelliousness against national oppression and forced assimilation.

Raya draws from his Mexican heritage in order to make a political statement about money, sex, and power replacing religion in today's society.

Friends and other artists in the Pilsen area who were aware of his drinking recall stories of running into him at bars or on the street where many times they either took him home, or found him in such horrible conditions that they would take him to the hospital.

As an example of how his artwork reflects his personal life Raya depicts himself with his “demons” floating above his unconscious body, showing the viewer exactly what he's struggling with in the rarest form possible.