In Fall 2019, we offered a "Coloring Book Design" course to the people on Facility E (Echo Yard) at Donovan. This is a compilation of the images the participants submitted for the book - 23 artists provided artwork, many with multiple images!
Statement from the artists in the class: "Artistic expression is important to us as artists to maintain our connection with our free spirits - free to create and experience freedom, expressing ourselves and finding comfort in our art. Some of us who create are working out our ‘issues,’ or keeping our cultural traditions alive. We give life to our stories, visions, and dreams with our art. We express through images the changes we experience being incarcerated. We wanted to be involved in this project to create this coloring book, joining this group of artists with a common goal of promoting restoration - to restore and reconcile ourselves to the outside world. Art is important to this process as it is the medium through which we are able to express and create beauty. Touching these elements of beauty continuously creates a reflection or echo that manifests in the life of the artist. We want the world to know that beautiful things can come from prison. We want you to slow down and be more aware of life and the world around you. Experience the simple things we all miss being incarcerated." -The Coloring Book Design Class, 2019
