As Founder and Director of PATH, I'm the first to share that PATH is not the only game in town that helps provide a creative outlet and visual artistic expression to those who are incarcerated. Between January 10th - March 28th, The MARIN CENTER'S Bartolini Gallery; 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael, CA will be featuring INSIDE INSIGHTS: San Quentin Arts in Corrections. This special exhibit will showcase many works, including 25 original paintings, prints and sculptures created by San Quentin State Prison inmates who participate in the Arts in Corrections (AIC) program and specifically under the auspices of the William James Association’s “Prison Arts Project”, which was started in 1977.
I cannot more wholeheartedly agree with the following:
"Arts in Corrections is based on the belief that when institutionalized individuals participate in the arts their self-esteem and outlook on the world is significantly affected". And positively so!
One of the artists who I routinely communicate with and visit at San Quentin is Mark Stanley-Bey who created ORISA’S RISING (Acrylic and Ink). In the series of images provided for your viewing pleasure, I also included information about this piece. What the art title card does not mention is that it took Mr. Stanley-Bey no less than 1000 hours and three months plus to create this piece! The detail in this painting is simply crazy. A must see!
Other noteworthy pieces of art (but certainly not exclusively) include a detail from Lumumba’s SHE’S ALREADY BLESSED (oil); Ned Axthelm’s SUNK (acrylic); Lamis Comundoiwalla’s CANDICE (acrylic); Scott McKinstry’s SATYR (acrylic and Mixed Media); Jeffrey Isom’s STILL LIFE (Oil); and Bruce Fowler’s OF FIELDS AND RUST (acrylic).
Leslie Lakes, PATH Director
Images:
Inside Insights
Orisa's Rising
Orisa's Rising Title Card
Leslie and Stan-Bey at San Quentin
Bartolini GalleryShe's Already Blessed (cropped detail)
Sunk
Candice
Satyr
Still Life
Of Fields and Rust