Taking Liberties
Taking Liberties
The Horrors and Humanities of Incarceration
Exhibition: July 3 – August 17, 2024
Opening Reception: Saturday, June 29, 1pm-3pm
Artist Talk: Saturday, August 10, 11am-1pm | Learn more…
Gallery Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm
Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804
In 2023, artist Henry Frank secured funding from the William James Association and the Art for Justice Fund to provide opportunities for artists coming out of the California carceral system to connect with a supportive community of artists. The JUST ARTISTS group was formed consisting of William James Association teaching artists and program alumni from the San Quentin Prison Arts Project. Many of these artists had met in 2008 when printmaker Art Hazelwood had introduced a steamroller print opportunity to incarcerated students in a San Quentin block printing class taught by Katya McCulloch. Since then, most of the students had been released from prison, and those who could be located were invited to join JUST ARTISTS and a new iteration of the steamroller printing project.
JUST ARTISTS first met in June 2023 at Art Hazelwood’s studio in Richmond and regularly connected over the next ten months to plan, create, and present the Taking Liberties series of work. Taking the theme “The Horrors and Humanities of Incarceration,” returning residents and their teachers collaborated on linoleum cut works that were printed with a steamroller at a special event held at Diablo Valley College on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
Henry Frank reflects on the project, “Art’s studio in Richmond became an oasis from the everyday responsibilities, challenges, and stressors, just like the Arts in Corrections studio in San Quentin. Not that we were running or avoiding them, but while in these studios, we focused on the art, the process, the other artists, and their lives. As art was being created, we were giving and receiving support for each other with the challenges and celebrations in each other’s lives. Just like the studio in San Quentin, art was the reason for gathering, but community, compassion, and vulnerability encouraged us to stay.”
JUST ARTISTS: Henry Frank, Nicola Bucci, Gary Harrell, Isiah Daniels, Felix Lucero, Katya McCulloch, Beth Thielen, Art Hazelwood
Top image: Taking Liberties (2024) by JUST ARTISTS
