PUBLIC COLLECTORS

A photocopy of a drawing (circa 1990) by Jaime Sanchez. Sanchez was incarcerated in Arizona at the time that this was sent to me by a fellow prisoner from the same institution.

A photocopy of a 1990 drawing by Jaime Sanchez. Sanchez was incarcerated in Arizona at the time that this was sent to me by a fellow prisoner from the same institution.

A 2003 colored pencil drawing on paper by Lamont E.A. Scanned from the exhibition catalog for Made In Prison: Contemporary Art by Incarcerated Men and Women, Co-curated by Julia Dzwonkoski and Kye Potter, 2003-2004, Herndon Gallery, Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio.

An untitled, undated drawing by Welmon Sharlhorne, from the cover of the exhibition catalog for Made In Prison: Contemporary Art by Incarcerated Men and Women, Co-curated by Julia Dzwonkoski and Kye Potter, 2003-2004, Herndon Gallery, Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio.

Prison envelope art by Danny Davis, who was incarcerated in Gatesville, Texas when he sent me this letter in 1991.

This drawing by J.W. Karr, Jr. was scanned from a photocopied, comb-bound book of tattoo designs that he sent me in the early 1990s. At the time, Karr was incarcerated in Clawson, Michigan.

Unsigned, undated ballpoint pen drawing (circa early 1990s) sent to me by an artist in prison. I believe this is by Kevin Fink, who was incarcerated in Walla Walla State Penitentiary in Washington.

A drawing by Paul R. Allison mailed to me in April 1993. At the time that he sent this, Paul was in prison in Amarillo, Texas.

A drawing by Paul R. Allison mailed to me in April 1993. At the time that he sent this, Paul was in prison in Amarillo, Texas.

An uncredited work of art from the Summer 1972 issue of The Messenger. The Messenger was published by and for the men of the South Dakota State Penitentiary, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with the permission of the warden. “The purpose of this magazine is to give the inmates an opportunity for self expression, to provide them a medium of discussion of public problems, to foster better understanding between inmates and the general public, and to be constructively informative.”

If anyone has other issues of this magazine, please get in touch with me: marc [at] publiccollectors.org

A painting by inmate John Craddock. Scanned from the cover of the record Operation Wise-Up: Seven Inmates from Richmond County Prison Tell It Like It Is!, Lohm Records, Charlotte, NC, undated.

A painting by inmate John Craddock. Scanned from the cover of the record Operation Wise-Up: Seven Inmates from Richmond County Prison Tell It Like It Is!, Lohm Records, Charlotte, NC, undated.

A ballpoint pen drawing by Angelo, whose work I have posted about many times in the past. As a reminder, you can see over thirty more examples of his work archived in this collection on Flickr.

A 2006 drawing by Angelo titled “Closure”. As with most of his drawings, this is on a sheet of 8.5” X 11” copy paper,  ballpoint pen and colored pencil. I have posted other drawings by Angelo here before. Angelo is currently incarcerated in California. Many people have seen his drawings as part of the ongoing project Prisoners’ Inventions. Prisoners’ Inventions is a collaboration between Angelo and the group Temporary Services (which I’m a member of). The vast majority of Angelo’s art production, however, is more fantasy-oriented, or steeped in history and his imagination. Angelo and I have corresponded for over 18 years now, nearly the entire time that he has been in prison. He sends me his many drawings for safe-keeping once they are finished. At some point his work will probably need to be the subject of a small exhibit in the Public Collectors Study Center.