Painting in Prison in New Mexico

One of our newest areas in the US is our work in Gallup, New Mexico. A desert town on the edge of the Navajo reservation, Gallup serves an area of more than 150,000 people.Some of our work there is in partnership with the University of New Mexico, which this past year made a connection with the Gallup Detention Center and us for an art project. Vladi, a member of our permanent Volunteer Corps, started running a weekly art workshop in the prison last May and was joined by Fannie, another Volunteer, in September. We are now about to finish the work alongside a few of the younger inmates. The idea was to make a huge mural composed of three local views of the desert outside Gallup. The last step is “framing” the paintings - giving the impression that the murals are just three big windows to the outside world.The idea of representing windows is extremely meaningful for the inmates in the area. Ninety-five percent of them come from indigenous tribes where the link with nature is always present in their way of thinking, living and reflecting. One of the questions they always ask our team when we show up for the workshop is about the weather outside: Is it cold? Is it snowing? Have you started making fires yet?A few weeks ago, Vladi got permission to bring his camera to the detention center. He had the opportunity to take a couple pictures of the murals, the people, the ambiance. The week after, he gave some of the prints to the guys. Their smiles and enthusiasm looking at the pictures was inspiring. “I will send it to my kids. I haven’t seen them for years since they moved to Phoenix. I want them to see I am thinking of them.” “I will send them to my homies. I want them to see I am doing something they can be proud about.”The mural will be finished soon, and our friends at UNM have plans to organize a little celebration to acknowledge the work of the people involved. They hope to invite the prison staff, officials and our team. The goal is to gather around a great collective project that the inmates have carried all the way through. We will let you know how it goes!

UNM Art Workshops Starting Again

For the other aspects of our partnership with UNM Gallup, Vladi has started weekly art workshop with the students from the ESL and GED classes. These workshops are really important for the participants. Most of them have had difficult lives, and Laura, who gives the English classes to the same students, told us how Vladi, in a very humble way, has managed to establish trust and respect with the students and to enable them to overcome their fears and to express themselves on canvas. Laura also said there has been clear progress in the way the students were writing. She expressed how complementary she sees the art and the writing and how her students have an easier time focusing and organizing their ideas now.