Stillwater prison holds an inmate art show, portion of proceeds go to the artist
STILLWATER, Minn. — A unique gallery is showcasing the artistic ability of inmates.
Inside Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater, an art program is allowing inmates to express themselves one brush stroke at a time.
Five days, six hours a day, Jeffrey Guse teaches 20 students the fundamentals of art and allows their imagination to flourish. He's been teaching the class for the past 16 years and he says he's seen first-hand how transformational the art program has been.
"Art is one way they can succeed where maybe they can't in other areas. It can be very transformational and a great starting point for a lot of the guys," Guse said.
After months of hard work, the inmates' work is now on display for the public to buy. The gallery is directly across from the prison in the conference center.
Julie Hayes works at Minneapolis Community and Technical College and walked through the gallery to pick out pieces for the library. She chose a piece that depicts the security cameras inside. The artist wrote he created this piece after sitting in his cell and noticing the reflection of the prison in the camera.
"It's reflecting the experience of what it's like to be an inmate thinking about their environment in an artistic way," Hayes said.
The art pieces range from $10 to $400.
The public art show concludes Thursday at 3:30 p.m.