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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 27, 2015)
May 27, 2015 0LVVLVVLSSL $OEHUWD 1RUWK3RUWODQG Page 11 9DQFRXYHU (DVW&RXQW\ %HDYHUWRQ Prisoners Find Peace in Art Looking at the world from inside and outside custody $FORVHXSYLHZRIVRPHRIWKHÁDJVUHDG\IRULQVWDOODWLRQDWWKH&ROXPELD5LYHU&RUUHFWLRQDO,QVWLWXWLRQLQQRUWKHDVW3RUWODQG A group of Portland pris- oners preparing to reintegrate into the community have been offered an artistic means of do- ing so. $QHZVLWHVSHFL¿FDUWSURM- ect that encourages convicts to look at the world inside and outside custody, and what those worlds mean to them, has led to hundreds of small print- HG ÀDJV EHLQJ VWUHZQ DFURVV the Columbia River Correc- tional Institution in northeast Portland. The prison is aimed at help- ing men who are within four years of release from custody, and has a mixture of re-entry levels that run from a residen- tial drug and alcohol treatment center to an alternative incar- ceration program. The art program was brought to inmates by the Know Your City organiza- tion, which brought together approximately 12 artists who in turn created 30 unique de- signs, each approximately sev- en by nine inches. Hundreds of VFUHHQSULQWHG ÀDJV ZHUH WKHQ sewn into long strands that can be hung as a complete set. Lead artist Emily Squires and scholar-activist Reiko Hillyer hosted a dedication cer- emony for the art that has been created by inmates on Tuesday at the institution, located at 9111 N.E. Sunderland Ave. For more information on this project or other community art and social justice programs, visit KnowYourCity.org. $QDUWSURMHFWJLYHV LQPDWHVZKRDUH DERXWWRWUDQVLWLRQLQWR WKHFRPPXQLW\DZD\RI ORRNLQJDWWKHZRUOGIURP LQVLGHDQGRXWVLGHFXVWRG\
