by redclay | May 1, 2023 | Visual Arts
April 25, 2023, Arlington County Detention Facility (ACDF): Our art teacher Sharmila Karamchandani ran into some unplanned chaos today and yet she and the women in the general population of the ACDF still found plenty to be grateful for. Here’s a shortened version of Sharmila’s story:
In the middle of chaos can you still find some gratitude? Before we started the workshop there was an incident with one of the inmates and we got delayed in starting our workshop which, to begin with, we had very little time for art. Now in a matter of 40 minutes, I had to explain the project, hear what they had to say, and also it was the last day with this unit I also had to get their evaluations for the program.
The project I had prepared was for them to make a gratitude tree. Most of them were still anxious and a bit shaken up by the incident and one of them was unable to draw at first as they were still trembling and here I go telling them to be grateful. Trust me, I too wouldn’t be able to pull out much if I was in their shoes. But these ladies are super resilient, they took all the instructions in and finished the project, shared with a loving heart as if nothing had happened just half an hour ago, and found so many things to be grateful for.
I ask them how they felt after the project. One of them who previously was anxious and unable to draw, genuinely thanked me saying “Thank you your project really helped me calm down and I no longer feel any anxiety”. And that’s the power of Art!!
by redclay | Apr 24, 2023 | Visual Arts
April 18, 2023: We’re just happy to be back at the Arlington County Detention Facility after three years of virtual – or no – classes! We knew Sharmila and her gentle art would be the perfect way to segue in with the general population. She wrote that she “…tasked [them] to create an entity that had special powers that was much needed in our world today…I am always amazed at what people create for this particular project. It’s so thoughtful…We had some very interesting conversations.
Quiz: Match the description with the superpower:
- Healing fly, a butterfly who senses any suffering and ailments with her special antennas anywhere in the world and can heal the person of any ailments they may have.
- Mother Earth, our ultimate super hero. With her powers of endurance and creation the woman needs to be honored as she is the source of all that exists.
- Blossom, who makes flowers and people blossom and bloom with her special powers.
- Guppy, who loves to give group hugs. She likes peace, harmony and love to spread with her special hugs.
- Food Man, who feeds the hungry and the homeless. His never ending faucet will provide you with any liquids be it juices or sodas. His side kick furnace can whip up any dish from any country for any amount of people.
- Rainbot, who has shower powers. She can do her special robotic rain dance and make it rain wherever and whenever needed, and can bless you with prosthetic limbs if you don’t have them (the creator’s friend lost a limb because of diabetes, hence Rainbot).
by redclay | Sep 16, 2022 | Detention Center Writing Contests, Poetry
Correct
by Christ Joshua M. Fletcher
Poetry, Arlington County Detention Facility/Heard/OAR writing contest, August 2022
Correct does it need to be corrected
Correctly has no matter being correction
When a newborn entered its life healthy it’s correct.
As its life have see’s other live’s doing or has done wrong & not applied to it is corrected.
Being aware of the unwealthy & still live correctly does not have time nor space
being within correction.
As thee matter which means subject, object, or person taking up space needs to be corrected.
Correctly when & or as not applied an person of correction will address you correct.
Well no-thing’s nothing will appear & as nobody even no one shall arrive to have you corrected.
Even each entire Dept. sheriff correction officer will be corrected.
Head of chain of command leads correctly
by male man made laws correct, confirm, complete, correction, corrected,
CORRECTLY!?…
by redclay | Sep 16, 2022 | Detention Center Writing Contests, Poetry
by Thomas Carlos Felder, Jr.
Poetry, Arlington County Detention Facility/Heard/OAR writing contest, August 2022
They see balance and they want to challenge or damage.
Thy heart <3 wants thy mind can’t percieve,
Bring in this state of pandemic a lot
of people run off envy and greed.
Our children look up to us
To balance their lives,
but from sitting in a 4×6 cell,
They can’t see how much we cry.
A true balance of life metaphoricly speaking
sometimes our heart <3 will die within.
We all miss our kin
Sometimes we have to tell our children,
beautiful lies to keep them happy inside.
Once is all it takes to upsetting thier normal lives,
That’s why it’s a must to have balance of life! 😊
by redclay | Sep 16, 2022 | Detention Center Writing Contests, Poetry
by Hassen Hassen
Poetry, Arlington County Detention Facility/Heard/OAR writing contest, August 2022
How can we protect our goals;
When we are not being keepers of each other souls?
Obsessed with our past;
too blind to see our present.
Too caught up in current trash;
To understand our future’s present.
In a tureen; lost in a sea of oblivion;
looking for away out; out this morass material.
Reaching for a hand; to pull us up.
Event a rope or a ladder might make us jump.
Shedding tears of joy; and smiles of sorrow;
painfully hoping and happily despiring.
With pain so deep, like the marrow’s in our bones;
And comradery so fake, like a cartoon’s souls.
We both hungry for just a little refuge;
But, all we feed each other is plates of subterfuge.
Brainwashed to inure less;
When we are supposed to be our best.
How do we protect our goals;
When we are not keepers of each other souls?
So, place me deep, where you look within;
abyssed in your soul when you need a friend.
Place it dearly next to your heart,
But never negated when we are apart.
And even thought we have different mothers;
That doesn’t mean we can’t be prison brothers.
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