Jeremy Del Rio

The Peacemaker tattoo celebrates NYC creatives who bring peace to fractured communities through their art. Inspired by the iconic dove and olive branch symbol, a stylized stone dove (pigeon) with a backwards cap holds a martini toothpick and olives in its beak. The image sits at the top of my shoulder, in view of a Jesus portrait by artist Nicer. It punctuates my first sleeve by Mr. Kaves, which explores what it means to Live ARTfully in NYC at the intersection of culture, education, & faith

My tattoos tell the story of one man pursuing a masterpiece life. At Thrive Collective, we teach students to create masterpiece lives worthy of a sequel. We encourage them to take action, embrace responsibility, serve humbly, love sacrificially, and lead courageously. I have attempted to embody these values while becoming both a patron of the arts and an education reformer dedicated to eradicating artless education in NYC and beyond. My ink reflects these convictions.

I would invest the $25,000 into the artist studio and loft at the Vista Verde retreat my wife and I are renovating in the Catskills. I co-founded and lead Thrive Collective to create hope and opportunity through arts and mentoring in and around public schools. Vista Verde is one of the ways we care for our artists and mentors, by providing an accessible space where they can refresh and restore their soul.