Student portraitists, ceramic artists, sculptors, muralists and pastel art designers gathered at San Quentin to celebrate an annual art event with incarcerated artists.
Professor Siskin co-founded the art event with Arts In Corrections staff member Carol Newborg. Every year the event is open to all incarcerated residents.
Newborg hosted the collaborative art event, which is in its fifth year. The event took place in a small quaint space of the Arts In Correction on the prison’s upper yard.
The innovative hybrid concept unites the creativity of students and incarcerated artists to stimulate artistic vision, adding an enriching depth to their work and lives.
“This feels more like a homecoming for me, art has always been the foundational creative branch in my life,” said Siskin. “I have witnessed the transformative impact art has in the lives of the incarcerated. I’m excited to be a part of the event and I am overjoyed as I watch it grow.”
Travis George an incarcerated illustrative children’s poetry artist, attended Art Day last year. He said, it is great those artists who are connected in the art community outside come inside to spend time with incarcerated residents.
“It makes you feel human again, to just sit and talk about art with someone who loves art as much as you do. [It’s] special,” George said.
Students in Professor Siskin’s Artists as Citizens program are required to be active in the volunteer community. Students support food banks, some assist those who are currently un-housed, women shelters, and various other community enrichment efforts that create opportunity for artists to touch the lives of others.
Morgan C. an expressive artist who also came to Art Day last year, announced this would be her last year at Berkeley City College. The Artists as Citizens program took the next step, continuing her art education at California College of the Arts, in San Francisco.
Morgan reflected passionately about her community volunteer program, Community Works West, a program that mentors kids who have incarcerated parents. The program is located in San Francisco.
Hearing the news of Morgan’s upcoming preference, Newborg congratulated her. Then asked, “Are you going to stay involved at CWW?” said Newborg.
“Yes, I love working with the kids,” Morgan said.
Ned A. another Arts In Corrections team staff member gave his take on the students being active in community volunteer efforts.
“Whether it is painting or making a space more vibrant it’s really about how art interacts with the larger community.” said Ned A. “What the students are doing expands the idea of what artists can do in the context of art being a bigger inspirational part of our lives.”
Incarcerated artist Peter Thao, a fantasy portrait artist who grew-up drawing, discovered his talent as a painter in Arts In Correction. Thao has volunteered his own talent as a painter at SQ by creating banners for Roots [self-help group] and Unico Elemento, a Latino band.
When asked to give one word to describe Art Day Thao said, “Inspiring.” Adding, “Art touches peoples lives in a unique and special way and the students and guests coming here to vibe with us is proof of that.”
As Art Day progressed, it exuded an energetic atmosphere that blended smiles, laughter and an attentive interest in the unique creativity of the incarcerated artists by the guests and students.
Longtime resident O. Smith, an illustration journalist, a Society of Professional Journalists member, and he is assigned to the Arts In Corrections as a muralist.
Smith shared the rich history behind the paintings and drawings adorning the walls with a group of students and guests, adding little known tidbits about the artists who created them.
“I’ve been here for more than a decade, I have met most of the students here on prior visits,” Smith said.
As he explained the history, Smith said most of the artist who created the paintings are now formerly incarcerated. Smith stated that this event is special to him and he is hopeful that once released he can come back in with the students next year and enjoy Art Day through their lens.
Blanca, a guest and community organizer from the Black Cultural Zone, a non-profit community revitalization program in the Bay Area reflected on how foreboding structurally SQ appeared from the outside. An “intense experience” coming into the event seeing all the “barbed wired.”
“Seeing all the art in here [Arts In Correction] is beautiful. I’m glad I came,” Blanca said.
Newborg surprised the students and guests with a tour of South Block housing unit and then over to the dining hall to view artist and muralist Alfredo Santos picturesque rendering of early Californian history.
Then students and guests visited West Block’s wall mural, a project brought to life by the staff team and incarcerated mural artist of the Arts In Corrections.
Newborg shared her vision for next year’s Art Day when the students and guests return.
“Professor Siskin and I have been talking about doing a joint project. How that will work is her student’s would do their part of the project there [BCC], while I will supervise the incarcerated artists part of the project here,” Newborg said.
Newborg explained that next year’s Art Day will bring both projects together, and have a huge unveiling.
“If we could get some staff to get involved as well it would really be great – art is for everyone,” Newborg said. “The guys [incarcerated residents] really look forward to when the students comes to visit every year.”
