A couple years ago, the prison administration took away our ability to buy art supplies from an outside vendor. Our only option was to purchase them through the commissary at marked-up prices.
They also limited our selection of art supplies for “security reasons,” which put an end to a lot of artists’ work that focus on a single medium. Oil paint, watercolor paint, pastels and canvases were completely taken off the list. Writing a grievance on the issue did no good.
As I found myself running low on canvases, I began experimenting with making my own, using the materials available to me. After a few failures, I was able to create a homemade canvas panel, which I like better than the ones I purchased.
A lot of people asked me how I made them, so I decided to create my very first instructional zine to help out my fellow artists. As the Illinois prison system continues to take away resources from us, we must find creative ways to undo their harm.
