Neighbor's support helps Colorado artist Charlo realize his dreams, achieve nationwide spotlight

A supportive neighbor can change the course of someone's life. It happened to a Colorado man who was hesitant about taking the leap to pursue his dreams.

Artist Charlo was beautifying the rooftop of a downtown office building when CBS News Colorado met with him. His joyful artwork suggests a secret garden.

"My art is all about hiding symbols and things within it so that people, when they engage with my art, they find out an unexpected moment of joy, of surprise," Charlo said.

Charlo began his career as a graphic designer in Mexico. He moved to Denver in 2019, and during the uncertainty of the pandemic he decided to pursue his passion by posting on Nextdoor to ask if anyone was willing to provide a wall for a mural.

A neighbor made their garage door the mural canvas that Charlo was searching for.

"Thanks to my neighbors which supported me and have welcomed me throughout this journey I've been able to continue to practice my art and become better," Charlo said.

Word of Charlo's beautiful designs began to spread in Denver, and the number of garage doors he transformed multiplied.

 
"I love Denver," Charlo said. "I live in other cities before, and when we moved to Denver, I love how warm people are and how there's this sense of local that I really didn't feel before in other cities in the U.S."

Denver has embraced Charlo's remarkable talents. He has created art now for the Denver Broncos and United Airlines. And Nextdoor sent him to Wall Street in New York City to design a mural for outside the New York Stock Exchange.

Charlo's success even led him to host a TEDx MileHigh event, and the message he most wants to convey is for all people to pursue what brings them joy.

"Trying to inspire people to do something, what they enjoy, doing as much as they can to just to see where that goes and maybe by doing so have a more happy life," Charlo said. 

Charlo says being joyful and grateful are equally important in life.

To learn more about the artist, visit Charlo's online portfolio, where you can also watch his full TEDx.