Local artist paints portraits for those who have lost loved ones to COVID-19

Jose Arguelles has been using his artistic talents to help people who have lost a loved one to COVID-19 deal with their loss, and he's doing it all for free - 13 On Your Side's Luis Lopez reports

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Those who lose a loved one all have different ways of coping. For one Yuma artist, he’s dealt with his loss by sharing his talents with others who are also dealing with the same suffering. Jose Arguelles has been making art for 13 years, and as someone who deals with mental health issues, he says painting has helped him get through life, and since March of last year, it’s also helped him deal with loss. Arguelles’ grandfather, Miguel Ruiz passed away in March of last year at 72 years old. While grieving however, Arguelles came to a realization.

“If I was suffering, are there other people who were suffering, I realized it’s not just me,” Arguelles said.

Arguelles started offering to paint portraits of people who died from COVID-19. People can just send him a photo of a loved one through Facebook, and he recreates them on canvas. He’s doing it all at no charge to those who ask for a painting. Arguelles finds his supplies at local thrift stores and works out of his home. While the process takes plenty of time and effort, he says there’s one thing making the project worthwhile.

“You just want to be surrounded by the people you love, and I hope with these portraits that it gives people a chance to honor what’s important to them at the end of the day,” Arguelles said.

If you’d like to help Arguelles out with the project, you can do so by donating to his GoFundMe.com page, which you can find here.