Friend to Those in Prison. Stitched
words: Letters + Visits that Touch Lives. Xylene photo transfer on
tea-stained muslin. Hand beaded and stitched. 25" x 19"
unframed; 31" x 25" framed. Click on image to enlarge.
Barbie Mathis (www.barbiemathis.com) is a talented, professional artist. Her
watercolors carry a distinctive, naturalistic style, vibrant colors, and glazes
of atmospheric depth. She's also a lovely person, inside and out; so, it
came as no surprise to me that she extends herself to others. What I
didn't know until embarking on the Decision Portrait Series is that Barbie
generously shares hope with several people who are incarcerated.
She told me how it all started. There was a bank
robbery in West Columbia. The police captured all of the
robbers....except one....who was known to be lurking in an affluent
neighborhood. Everyone was scared. Barbie and her church prayer
group prayed for all those living in the area. The bank robber was
finally apprehended after trying to high-jack a car at gunpoint.
Then, the newspaper carried an article in which the
"villain" was described as having been a popular high school graduate
and an active former church member. Barbie was stunned. She'd been
praying for everyone involved except the one person that likely needed it
most....the bank robber. She went to visit him. She's been writing
to him ever since and to several of his friends. Barbie spreads words of hope and forgiveness.
Prisoner II. Stitched words: I
robbed a bank. Xylene photo transfer on tea-stained muslin. Hand
stitched and beaded. Unframed: 25" x 19"; Framed:
31" x 25". Click on image to enlarge.
Barbie took the photo I used to create the portrait above.....right through the Plexi-Glas prison barrier. The young man will not be part of the general population for years but will be ready for that day when it comes. He's got a connection to something good, to hope, to religion, and to someone who cares enough to write letters. It makes a difference.
Barbie took the photo I used to create the portrait above.....right through the Plexi-Glas prison barrier. The young man will not be part of the general population for years but will be ready for that day when it comes. He's got a connection to something good, to hope, to religion, and to someone who cares enough to write letters. It makes a difference.
I'm sure this young man agreed to participate in this
series because of Barbie's positive influence. He hopes that someone will
see his image and think about the humanity that really is part of prison
life. He hopes, like Barbie and I hope, that there might be viewers at
the upcoming exhibitions who have friends or relatives in prison. Perhaps,
coming face-to-face with his outward staring eyes, these people will be
prompted to reach out and communicate a word or two of hope. It would
make a difference.
Prisoner I.
Stitched words: I let drugs nearly ruin my LIFE. Hand stitched and
beaded. Unframed: 25" x 19"; Framed: 31" x
25". Click on image to enlarge.
The lady in this portrait is also in prison. I was put
in touch with her through another source. Our method of communication is
by letters. She wrote about her life, how she neglected her children,
herself, and everything she held most dear while spiraling down into a world of
lawless drug use.
No comments:
Post a Comment