With inmates contributing individual pieces, the final product showcases the idea that they can soar once being released from jail. (Contributed photo)Discussing the stigma associated with being a criminal offender, inmates at the Hamilton County Jail decided to demonstrate the idea that after rejoining society, they could be worthwhile citizens capable of creating work that beautifies neighborhoods.
To best depict this idea, they settled on the theme of birds.
Inmates work on one of the birds compiled into a collage that was then turned into a billboard and placed in the Glass Street area. (Contributed photo)During Photoshop sessions in the jail classroom, digital versions of their drawings were organized into a composition sized to fit a billboard at 2501 Glass St. The birds were scaled, traced onto parachute cloth and then hand-painted.
From preliminary discussions to the finished piece, "Birds of Freedom" took one year to complete. During that time, about 75 inmates attended art classes funded by the Tennessee Arts Commission and had a hand in creating the mural.
"I learned and am still learning how to deal with and work with people," one participant said. "Learning a lot of art skills is fun. I love everything about this class."
Mark Making has hosted classes in the Hamilton County Jail almost every Friday night since 2012. The nonprofit aims to empower individuals and transform communities through the arts, working primarily with children, teens and adults with disabilities, the homeless, and incarcerated.
For more information, visit markmaking.org or find the group on Facebook.
Inmates at the Hamilton County Jail celebrate completing a program in which they used art to showcase their desire to be productive members of society. (Contributed photo)