Artwork on banner by Brian Hindson

Thursday August 12 * 730pm * RSVP

We’ll share new works by incarcerated artists in our network, and invite you to write letters to the artists with your reflections. Time and time again, we hear just how much it means to the incarcerated artists in our network to know that folks on the outside are seeing, appreciating, and being impacted by their artwork. Knowing that you took time to engage with their work, and that it spoke to you, brings them hope and validation and inspires them to keep creating. We want all of the artists who’ve entrusted their work to JAC to know how much they matter, so we hope that you’ll join us for ArtLinks!

Refreshments will be provided.

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The responses we receive from artists after ArtLinks events are heartfelt:

“I loved receiving the letters about my work and the impressions they had on people. So much of the art in prison is about portraits, photo realism and the like. Because my work is, well, more impressionistic it doesn’t always receive recognition in here from others. Looking at the [JAC description] at the bottom of the letter I received — “a unique voice” — I think that succinctly captures my hope as an artist and my own goals when creating art. To create something of maybe mundane, depressing things and hopefully get a person to see it differently. To think of things in a different way. To see us prisoners beyond the crimes we committed.” – Brian

“[Dear JAC volunteer], Thank you for writing me a letter and drawing a picture. I love it. Your letter made me feel validated because for the last years since I’ve been drawing the people that inspire me and have had an impact on my life growing up, the people in here aren’t really interested in buying portraits of S. Dali or Alfred Hitchcock … and it is starting to make me feel bad about it. So thank you a million times over.” – Chad, artist