On June 19 San Quentin was transformed into an international art gallery as part of a four-day art conference held primarily at the University of San Francisco on “Arts in Corrections – Opportunities for Justice and Rehabilitation.” More than 75 of the conference attendees came to the prison to hear performing artists read poetry and to view visual arts.
The four-day conference that began on June 16 and culminated in the art show at San Quentin was presented by the William James Association – Prison Arts Project, the California Lawyers for the Arts, and hosted at the University of San Francisco.
As visitors entered the inner prison plaza they were split into two groups. Half of the guests were shepherded into the chapel to view 25 pieces of art created by men incarcerated in San Quentin. The art hung on easels arranged down the aisles of the chapel leading to the stage.
On stage, performance artists from the restorative justice-based Artistic Ensemble gave short presentations of pieces from a larger work titled “Waterline.”
One observer remarked, “The Ensemble stole the show,” with Nythell “Nate” Collins depicting a prisoner trapped inside a cast of performers who represented an eight by twelve cell.
Collins screamed, “eight by twelve,” and the performers closed in on him, sending the message that prison can be a closed-in life.
Poets also read work that they wrote in the poetry workshop, “The Emergency for Emerging Forms of Life.” The workshop, led by Stephen Novotny and Annie Rovzar Steven, meets every Sunday night in the art studio at San Quentin.
“I went to the University of San Francisco. When I was there as an undergraduate I had great mentors,” said Novotny, who is now paying it forward to the prisoners he teaches.
Dennis Crookes, a participant in the poetry workshop who normally paints to express his artistic talents, said, “Stephen and Annie got me writing surreal poetry.”
The rest of the 75 guests split up and took turns seeing the legendary Alfredo Santos’ murals that were painted in the South Dining Hall during the 1950s, and visiting the art studio where they were greeted by prison artists.
The art studio exhibits ranged from graphite and pencil drawings to acrylic and oil paintings on canvas. An attention-getter was a mural being painted on huge wooden panels for the North Dining Hall. The mural depicts a fantasy cityscape imagined by artist Scott McKinstry.
The artists answered many questions about their art pieces. One of the visitors became so overwhelmed by their stories that she left in tears.
After about an hour, the groups viewing the art studio, the murals and the art show in the chapel switched tours – giving every visitor a complete look at the entire art community in San Quentin.
The art show within the walls of the prison was the culmination of the four-day art conference.
On June 16, an optional pre-conference training day was offered to attendees. Experienced practitioners taught workshops to those who were new in the fields of dance, theater, music, literary and visual arts. The training also discussed navigating the art world inside of a prison.
Former San Quentin prisoner Troy Williams was a member of the panel that discussed the “Nuts and Bolts of Working in Prison.”
The next day featured talks from people who are involved in teaching art in prison. Some of the featured speakers included San Quentin’s Community Partnership Manager Steve Emrick and the Sheriff of San Francisco County, Ross Mirkarimi. Opening remarks for the conference were presented by William James Association’s Executive Director Laurie Brooks, and the California Lawyers for the Arts’ Executive Director Alma Robinson.
On June 18, guests were presented with research on art in corrections and evaluations done by professionals such as Larry Brewster, Ph.D., from the University of San Francisco.
Later in the day, Sonya Shah, Justice Program Director for the Prison Insight Project, led a restorative justice seminar. That evening former San Quentin prisoners Watani Stiner and Henry Frank served on an artist panel moderated by Carol Newborg from the William James Association.
On the last day of the conference, Millicent Tidwell, Director of the Division of Rehabilitative Programs, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, spoke on the topic, “Where do we go from here?”
The keynote speaker for the day was California Senator Loni Hancock, chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee.
Then at 11 a.m., the 75 visitors who had been cleared to enter San Quentin got on a bus and headed for the prison.
Prisoner Richie Morris summed up the whole point that the conference was trying to make when he told the crowd in the chapel, “We’re a family. There are days when we’re dysfunctional, but the tension is necessary. I know that words are powerful. After 30 years in prison I can be more than a convict. I am a human being and I recognize these guys as brothers.”
–Juan Haines contributed to this story
https://sanquentinnew.wpengine.com/san-quentin-news-merchandise/
https://sanquentinnew.wpengine.com/william-james-association-promotes-s-q-arts-project/
https://sanquentinnew.wpengine.com/marijuana-convictions-can-erased/
