Why I drew those shoes: It's because we get those shoes for free in here in prison, and I saw a pair that were old and rugged. Anyway, I liked the way they looked on art so I drew them and I was impressed by it!!
My mother passed when I was 4, and I grew up with my father who was physically and mentally abusive. So, I ran away to live on the streets. I never went to school after that. My life was all fighting and getting into gangs. I started a gang of me and four others, which I won't say more about, but I didn't help myself. During that time, I ended up having a daughter and then another daughter when I still didn't love myself. If I didn't love myself, then I sure didn't love anyone else at that time in my life. I was in and out of jail for different kinds of things like petty crimes, and that's when I got into art. When I turned 23, I came back to prison, and I have never been out since. I am now 52. But I took the time to educate myself not only to get my GED but to get better at my art. I have earned 28 certificates, and I am now painting murals in prison. I now say after growing up in here that I have taken all this time to better myself. With all this being said, I love myself now, and I want to prove to not just my family and friends that I have changed but also to my father from up above. He passed in 2014 right along with my sister. I miss them all and loved them all.
Antoine’s art was brought to On the Ledge by Prison Outreach Guild, a group based out of the Past Lives Makerspace that showcases the work of incarcerated artists in Oregon. (@pastlivesllc)
Original: 8”x11” Graphite pencil on paper
Image of original work is a representation of the framed piece the purchaser will receive. Scale and level of detail may deviate slightly from the physical work.
Why I drew those shoes: It's because we get those shoes for free in here in prison, and I saw a pair that were old and rugged. Anyway, I liked the way they looked on art so I drew them and I was impressed by it!!
My mother passed when I was 4, and I grew up with my father who was physically and mentally abusive. So, I ran away to live on the streets. I never went to school after that. My life was all fighting and getting into gangs. I started a gang of me and four others, which I won't say more about, but I didn't help myself. During that time, I ended up having a daughter and then another daughter when I still didn't love myself. If I didn't love myself, then I sure didn't love anyone else at that time in my life. I was in and out of jail for different kinds of things like petty crimes, and that's when I got into art. When I turned 23, I came back to prison, and I have never been out since. I am now 52. But I took the time to educate myself not only to get my GED but to get better at my art. I have earned 28 certificates, and I am now painting murals in prison. I now say after growing up in here that I have taken all this time to better myself. With all this being said, I love myself now, and I want to prove to not just my family and friends that I have changed but also to my father from up above. He passed in 2014 right along with my sister. I miss them all and loved them all.
Antoine’s art was brought to On the Ledge by Prison Outreach Guild, a group based out of the Past Lives Makerspace that showcases the work of incarcerated artists in Oregon. (@pastlivesllc)
Original: 8”x11” Graphite pencil on paper
Image of original work is a representation of the framed piece the purchaser will receive. Scale and level of detail may deviate slightly from the physical work.
