California Department of Corrections in the mid 70’s established a hobby craft program for incarcerated inmates.
San Quentin’s hobby craft program is one of the last left operating in the state’s penal system.
For over 30 years the hobby shop was located on the bottom floor of the “old hospital building.”
Once construction began on the new hospital , the hobby shop was moved to the converted “old” laundry building, and has been there since 2006.
The hobby program and gift shop are run by hobby manager Andrea Williams for Condemned Row, and Chris Howard supervising the mainline.
The hobby shop is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.. The gift shop is open from Wednesday thru Sunday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m..
In order to participate in the hobby program you must be privilege group A and fill out an application form. Acceptance into the program is limited by the availability of space.
There are approximately 50 mainline prisoners who use the hobby shop, plus 50 who do in-cell hobby. In addition to those in Condemned Row, the total number of inmates participating is 350.
Items made in the hobby shop include woodcraft such as jewelry boxes, clocks, chess boards, miniature pianos, pool tables and cable cars.
In-cell hobby craft consists of beaded jewelry, oil-on-canvas paintings, pastels, greeting cards and artwork done in both pen and pencil.
Prices vary from greeting cards for two dollars to paintings and jewelry boxes that sell for several hundred dollars.
Prisoners use the money made from sales to purchase materials needed to continue their artwork. Most use the money made from sales to send home to their loved ones.
A sample of most of the art craft made in S.Q. can be seen and bought at S. Q.s gift shop located near the front entrance of the prison.
