In this special bonus episode of our miniseries, The Placer Life during World War II, we step inside the world of Martín Ramírez, the internationally celebrated self-taught artist who created hundreds of extraordinary drawings while living at the former DeWitt State Hospital in Placer County.

Featuring insights from a leading expert who has studied Ramírez’s life up close, we explore how an immigrant laborer from Jalisco navigated displacement, institutionalization and isolation—and still transformed scavenged materials into some of the most captivating works of 20th-century art.

Through stories, personal stories, and a deeper look at Ramírez’s time at DeWitt, this episode reveals the humanity, creativity and resilience that shaped his legacy, and why his art continues to inspire audiences around the world.

🎧Listen to “Inside the Lines” to discover the story behind the lines that changed outsider art forever.