As
you view the magnificent creations of expressions of thought you
will preview art conceived and formulated into completion. Not
on canvas but on a “pano” or a handkerchief, not on
quality art paper but on the back side of the envelope. Often
the masterpiece is completed on the inside cover of a magazine
or on the inside cover of the a correctional manual.
In
most cases art supplies are not available so the incarcerated
artists must improvise or approach his application via trial and
error. In most cases the instrument of application is only a small
pen filler (A pen can be easily forged into a weapon). Most of
the colors you see must be done using candies like an M&M.
Many
times the completed art is often confiscated damaged or destroyed.
The
majority of artwork represents interpretations of another’s
work while there are a few artists whose creations rival some
of the best artists of the new generation like Ian W. Robert G.
and Robert H. All art is completed on the inside of the walls
of prison, most of them within the cells of the SHU or the Segregated
Housing Unit. What has commonly been referred to as “The
Hole” Many of the artists will never experience again what
has been taken for granted - FREEDOM
some
quotes from the artists themselves:
"we have no erasers... actually all we have is pen filler"..
"I'm sentenced to die in prison, but I live through my freedom
of expression"..
"for some, art is the same as religion, a gateway to inner
peace"..
Steve
"Sonny" Balderrama, M.S.W., P.P.S., PAW CEO
