"Life inside, life outside" - Gabriel Castillo

The artist is currently incarcerated in California. He specializes in crowded black & white patterns.

All original artworks are created by artists previously or currently incarcerated. They use whichever materials they have access to, and prove creative ingenuity beyond the norm. These original paintings and drawings are born in the heart of a prison cell, from the hands of an outsider artist to adorn the walls of your space. Each art piece is a one-of-a-kind that not only enhances your interior but also makes you actively participate in reforming the prison and criminal justice system.

The incarcerated artist receives 50% of the sales proceeds. The artists set their own prices based on the costs of materials (it can vary greatly from one facility to another), the time spent on the piece, their experience, and simply - what they think it’s worth. Alongside with offering a financial outlet, we aim to empower their confidence and reinstitute their status as human beings - not a number behind bars. For most, art is an escape, a path to self-discovery and healing. Through art, they can reconnect with society so the gap is not so unbridgeable when they get out. Through the sales, they can stay connected with their families, afford daily commissary items, pay societal debts, relieve the economic burden on their loved ones, and save up for the release date. So they have the financial means to get ahead of reinsertion and get a fair chance at that second chance.

8.75" x 12" | Pen on paper

I am a musician first / music student producer. An artist 2nd. Playing my guitar inside these walls only gets me so far. So when I begin to draw & sketch, things out or conceived different ideas with the only techniques I know. I feel a sense of accomplishment & a different form of creativity. Trying to draw in pen has been a challenge for me that I wish to overcome & refine as I do with music. On another level, art has led me to building a career of tattooing. I don’t really believe that you can compare & contrast my drawings vs. tattoos I have done in here. However, in both fields I enjoy learning pushing myself, dare to finish a piece that I have started. Even if it takes me a week of staring & stopping. Where other artists are able to finish in a few hours. Art is always an evolution of possibilities. .

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