Artwork adorned chairs, tables, and ledges inside an ornate conference room across the street from Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater one Wednesday afternoon. Those pieces included a pirate-themed board game, emotional interpretations of cartoon characters, as well as a portrait of Kamala Harris.
“I’m ecstatic to see MNDOC taking big steps to take the artwork out into the community,” said Antonio Espinosa, founder of Art From The Inside, of the exhibit. That’s because those pieces were created by 11 of 14 students enrolled in an art class at MCF-Stillwater. The exhibit and the class are one of many initiatives undertaken across the state to nurture the creative minds of those incarcerated at MNDOC facilities.
The program
Stillwater is currently the only prison in the MNDOC system that has an art program. The program is led by Jeffrey Guse, a licensed K-12 teacher who began teaching the program 16 years ago this April. Hailing from public schools in southern Minnesota that gutted their art programs, Guse is the only instructor who is employed by MNDOC to teach art to those incarcerated.
Students attend classes five days a week for six hours a day for a year. The first week is an introductory week where Guse teaches art history and gets to know his students. “I work on art elements and principles, and it gives them a foundation. And it also helps them get to know me and I get to know them,” said instructor Guse.
The incarcerated apply to the program just like they would apply to a job inside prison walls. Guse reviews their applications along with their work and discipline history. “We try to require that they have a good discipline history, or at least [a good recent discipline history],” said Guse.
He does not require students to have an art background, but does require them to be able to read at a sixth-grade level. He also considers “incompatibilities” as well as whether or not they are affiliated with a gang.
Participation is capped at 14 students plus four mentors. Enrolled students are compensated at 50 cents per hour. Guse has help from four mentors who previously completed the class and are compensated at $1.50 per hour.
Incarcerated artists can also make money through their art. If an incarcerated artist were to make a piece that sold for $100, they would receive $67.50 in their account. An additional $7.50 pays for processing the transaction into their account. The remaining $25 goes to MNDOC to support the art program, which has a $109,000 budget.
Guse likes teaching at MCF-Stillwater. “It’s very rewarding to work with these guys and be able to do an event like this where they are seen in a positive light,” he said.
The expansion
MNDOC plans to expand its ability to nurture the creative minds of incarcerated individuals in the coming years. But it’s been a challenge.
For example, MNDOC previously held exhibitions within prison walls, intended only for their staff members. “There’s some limitations, and it’s really hard. Once you bring the artwork outside the prison, normally it’s restricted from going back in. And so of course, guys are hesitant wondering if they’re gonna get their artwork back or not,” said Guse. For this exhibit, MNDOC staff were able to get permission to ensure unsold artwork was returned to those who created it.
MNDOC is also concerned about how showing off the talents of the incarcerated may be received by the public. “There’s a lot of people that might look at it and say, ‘Why do they get to do art?’ Public perception is a real consideration,” said Guse.
Nonetheless, the state legislature last session allocated $425,000 to fund nonprofit organizations that work with incarcerated individuals and those on supervised release on art forms such as visual art, poetry, literature, theater, dance, and music.
The partners
Aside from funding sources, MNDOC has also worked with organizations to promote the artwork of incarcerated people. One such organization is Art From The Inside.
“I was a correctional officer for 19 and a half years at Stillwater prison, and my friend of 16 years was murdered in 2017,” said Espinosa, the organization’s founder. ”And that’s what created this movement to try to create healing and transformation in the system.”
The organization began soliciting submissions of themed pieces from those incarcerated at Stillwater. They eventually expanded their solicitations to those incarcerated at Mammoth Lakes, Moose Lake, Red Wing, Faribault and Shakopee. The work submitted is exhibited around the Twin Cities at churches, schools, and venues such as an ongoing exhibition at the Minnesota Attorney General’s office.
At those exhibits, visitors have an opportunity to write a message for the artist. “So [artists] could hear from the public about their artwork. It’s inspiring to see grown men walk around the unit…showing their friends about what people are saying about the artwork,” said Espinosa.
Once the exhibit is over, Art From The Inside documents the exhibit in a video. Each piece is then forwarded to an address desired by the incarcerated artist. The organization can’t return the work to them because of MNDOC regulations. If their art sells, 100% of the proceeds go to the incarcerated artist.
Other organizations working with MNDOC to nurture incarcerated artists is ArtReach St. Croix, which is based in Stillwater. They plan to feature artwork and poetry made by those incarcerated at Stillwater on trailers to be parked this summer at Afton State Park just south of Afton, Interstate State Park in Taylors Falls, and Willow River State Park just east of Hudson, Wis. The exhibit opens on Thursday, July 11, with a reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at their Stillwater offices, 224 4th St. N.
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