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| The 13th colored pencil |
| By Sarah Etter, News Reporter |
| Published: 12/11/2006 |
Beneath every painting in a museum is a small white tag identifying the artist, medium and canvas size. At the Prisons Foundation'sPrisons Gallery of Art in Washington, DC that small white tag might read more like a list of commissary items, contraband and condiments. “Prison art is often made in conditions that are very difficult for the artist,” explains Carolyn Sobin, co-founder of the non-profit organization promoting art in prison. “They make paint out of coffee creamer and mustard. They use their own hair to make brushes. They create on cardboard, typing paper, on the back of commissary forms, anything to express themselves.” The Prisons Gallery's newest exhibit opened December 9th, and features 30 drawings by Iowa's Russ Luncsford, a released sex offender who says much of his work portrays the struggle to return to society after imprisonment.  A drawing by Russel Luncsford. “My art sends a duel message,” he explains. “I try to portray the feelings of despair a person feels in prison, the hopelessness. There is a caged potential in each prisoner, and a potential goodness. I have always wanted my art to reflect that.” Although free, Luncsford certainly hasn't left prison life behind. He vividly recalls his struggle to tap into an underground current of contraband art supplies during incarceration. “You cannot believe how much a large piece of paper would go for, if someone could smuggle that in,” Luncsford remembers. “Everyone was so sick of drawing on standard paper. I even remember people getting into trouble for having 13 colored pencils instead of 12. I could never understand what was so evil about that 13th colored pencil. What could I do with that colored pencil that I couldn't do with the other 12?” He is nervous about the DC opening of his show because he has never left Iowa, and because he thinks his drawings are often misunderstood. “When people glance at my artwork, they see the skulls in my artwork as negative,” Luncsford says. “But my artwork is about symbolism. People don't always stop and try to understand what it's really about, so that is one problem I have run into.” He joined the Prisons Foundation because of its reputation as well-known prison art organization with about 900 pieces of inmate artwork on display across the country. Once a piece is sold, the foundation shares any profit with the artist, depending on state law. “In some states, inmates are not allowed to receive money for their work,” Sobin says. “That money goes into victim compensation funds or to inmate families. We take out a small amount to cover expenses, but other than that they can keep the money if the state allows it.” Most of the creative offenders involved with the organization are known as outside artists, those with no formal training but have very unique ideas, which causes an influx of interest in their creations across the country. Kentucky prisoners are becoming a part of the folk art scene at the Good Folk Fest while New York City galleries celebrate offender perspective pieces at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Even colleges have gotten involved in the movement with programs like the Prison Creative Arts Project of the University of Michigan . Sobin says offender artists are in demand because of their originality in everything from choice of materials to subject matter. She also attributes increasing interest to a fascination with life behind bars.  Abstract painting by well known prison artist Anthony Dye. “There is a growing sensitivity to the growing incarceration rate. People know we are incarcerating too many people in this country and that humans, no matter what their offense, deserve to be treated better,” Sobin explains.  Painting by Ronna Baer. For collectors, these pieces represent innovative perspectives on life from behind bars. For Luncsford, they represent his repentance. “There is a need for forgiveness,” he says. “Inmates need to be forgiven. There are ex-offenders with no place to live, who cannot find jobs, who are ostracized to the outskirts of society because they have not truly been forgiven. That is the whole point of my artwork, and the inspiration for many other inmate artists.” Additional Resources: Art Behind Bars Prison Arts Foundation |
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