"Clown"

Museum-quality giclée Epson matte paper | Sustainably sourced Ayus wood frame | Hanging hardware included

My name is Tony Carrera. I am sentenced to life without parole. I came in at 18 and I’m 30 now. Over the years art has allowed me to express myself while also being able to see others express themselves. References and inspiration can be scarce at times. You really have to dig deep. Old tattoo magazines are a version of Google Images. Prison art has been evolving just as street art has. The bar is set higher every time. Our fiercest competitor is often ourselves. Art within these walls influences us just as a fellow artist would influence his community. You can be praised one day and criticized to the point of quitting the next day. You can almost see what a person is feeling through their art be it joy, nostalgia, laziness, or even pain. I’ve worked with pencil most of the time and I discovered the depth in charcoal and dove right in. Ink on skin is my medium and canvas of choice. Yet, in here, we’re limited to what the customer wants. Basically, everyone wants the same shit. So, I strive to help people see past that. Art as in life consists of breaking out of that mold, of moving past that same shit and seeing more, feeling more, living more. Hopefully, with my art, I can not only break out of that mold myself but help others also..