Art of incarcerated students showcases talents at City Hall
Within the walls of Fresno City Hall, the public viewed artwork created by incarcerated students from four CDCR institutions. See the article : Gulf Coast State College in Panama City is hiring a leader for the media arts department.
The Fresno Art Hop in July was a unique collaboration between CDCR, Arts in Corrections and the Fresno Arts Council. Imprisoned artists submitted paintings, sketches and poetry to the event. The gallery location highlighted their creative endeavors and artistic vision.
Given visual and written prompts from their instructors, the artists responded, and the show was the result.
The Arts in Corrections Exhibition included art from:
The innovative arts program taught by instructors Gema Lopez, Omar Natafji and Sally Vogl, all from the Fresno Arts Council, included submissions from each of the three disciplines offered at Pleasant Valley: visual arts, singing and poetry .
The 16-week sessions teach the basics of each arts program offering theory, exercises and instructional techniques. The classes act as a catalyst for the creativity of the student inmates.
An advantage of the Arts in Corrections program is the development of new personal and social identities as artists and poets. This gives participants a different perspective, which promotes positive change. Additionally, the arts program promotes group interactions, fostering social responsibility, according to program instructors.
Submitted by Lieutenant Carlos Mendoza
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