"Untitled" - Lauren Shane Daly

The artist is currently incarcerated in Florida. She specializes in portraits and pastel drawings.

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.

9" x 12" | Chalk on grey drawing paper

Lauren Shane Daly I am a 48-year-old gender non-binary person incarcerated at a women’s prison in Pennsylvania. I started drawing a few years ago in here as a way to pass time and I found it brings me peace and an ability to lose myself for hours at a time, which I really need in here. I have a long time to do, even though I didn’t break the law (I know lots of us say it, but I also know you know sometimes it’s true) and honestly, sometimes it eats me alive. I thought maybe if I could learn to create beautiful things (which I’m not sure I’ve accomplished yet) I could bring some happiness and joy to people in pain. In return, I feel better about myself. I’m entirely self-taught through books and the constructive criticism of my best friend with an artist’s eye. It’s a slow learning curve and I wish I had the gift of teachers and less restriction on materials I’m allowed to purchase. For example, I have a piece that needs fixative, but I’m not allowed. By the time it gets to you it might be all smeared. My greatest wishes by submitting to your project are:; 1. That maybe people will see that we can create pieces that move them to questions the strict dichotomy society places upon us to separate “good” vs. “evil” people, and “us” vs. “them”. What if I am a person, not a “monster”? What if the system makes mistakes too, not just inmates? And what would the implications of that be? 2. That my daughter might see my picture and want to contact me. .

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