Reese Bentzinger
Editorial Assistant
Northeast News

Local artist Isaac Tapia has much from his own life he could draw upon for his work. He migrated from Mexico at the age of nine and has lived in Kansas City since then, but it’s the stories of other people that influences his work.
Paintings “celebrate people,” he said.

Tapia studied at the Kansas City Art Institute from 2010-2012 and had his solo show “Soul of a Dancer” featured at the Mattie Rhodes Art Center in 2016.

While writing is usually the artform for storytelling, Tapia prefers a brush and paint to jot down the lives of loved ones. He says he finds everyone has a story or two hidden within them, and these stories are what stimulates his work.
“People inspire me and my work,” he said.

A new mural in the Northeast area is his example of this. Having grown up in the area, it’s easy to see why he chose to dedicate the mural to his mother. He encourages people who appreciate the mural to stop and take photos of his work.

If you would like to view more of Tapia’s work, visit “Art Isaac Tapia” on Facebook, or visit his Instagram page (@tapia.isaac).