Guest speaker Peter Dawkins (left), with exhibition curator Norton Russel.

Art from Inside

An exhibition of artworks created by prison inmates was recently on display at the Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo).

The exhibition, Art from Inside, was an initiative of the Prison Fellowship Australia Queensland and featured 53 selected original paintings, drawings and artworks by prison inmates from around Queensland.

A ceremony was also held to award the exhibition winners, with special guest speaker and former inmate of Darling Downs Correctional Centre, Peter Dawkins, who obtained a degree in psychology while in prison.

Dr Gladys Martoo, a judge at last year’s exhibition, said the process of creating art was a very powerful tool of communication for the inmates.

“They [the inmates] can represent what art is about: sometimes intensely personal and sometimes quite extraordinarily communicative,” said Dr Martoo.

The overall winner of the exhibition, Bell Lighthouse, will feature at the National Show along with the other state and national finalists from 9 to 15 July, in the Brisbane Room at Brisbane City Hall.

The Show’s opening night will be held on Thursday 9 July from 7pm at the same venue. All are welcome.