In 2014, I happened to meet a couple who had approached me after reading about the Inmate Art Exhibit at the Marin Humane Society that I installed. This took place one year prior to my formerly founding P.A.T.H. They wanted to share with me art that their dear friend's son, Robert, created. At that time, he was 52 years old and was incarcerated in one of the Michigan State prisons; sadly for life without parole. Unfortunately, he had very bad council representation and as it stands, unless the good Lord intervenes, he will never be released.
Robert was a car buff in his teens and he trained himself to begin drawing his favorite "muscle cars". Art materials available to Robert in prison are extremely limited, so he began experimenting with drawing in miniature on prison commodity, plain white matchbook covers. Using regular Bic and or/ PaperMate pens in primary colors of red, blue, green, yellow and black, what Robert managed to create astonished me! I was in awe!
These examples of his artwork demonstrate that restriction of art supplies has not limited his talent, creativity and genius. His artwork should be in the Smithsonian Institute!!!!
The reduction from the original material (i.e., photographs, record album covers, etc.) is made without the use of any mechanical or reproductive aids. It is all "eyeballed" by Robert down to matchbook size, which he sketches very lightly, in pencil on the matchbook substrate as a guide before he slowly and meticulously fills it in with colored pens.
Enjoy. And, please feel free to comment.
Blessings,
Leslie Lakes, Dir.