Death by Incarceration by Robin Parmelee
Medium: Watercolor on paper
Size: 9.5 x 13 inches
Artist statement: Artist Statement: “Hi, my name is Robin Parmlee. I’m an emerging watercolor artist. My art helps me stay clear from all the nonsense that you may find in prison life. I was born and raised in northeast Pennsylvania on a small dairy farm. So I kind of relate to animals in my artwork.
This theme really caught my interest. The question that came to me is how can I best represent myself? This is me. It really started my creative juices flowing. Then I came up with a type of farm animal that spends most of their life cooped up in a pen.
My sentence is 105 years to 210 years. My judge did not say that I had no chance for Parole. He did not have to, we all know that we cannot see the probation board in Pennsylvania until you get close to your minimum sentence. So in turn, he did sentence me to death by incarceration. As the chicken, the painting, looking into the mirror, seeing its future, the chick grows old, then is led to the butchers block. This is me growing old in prison and reaching ultimate and death.
You can see by my reference list that I am sending to you with this painting that I have done work for other charitable organizations. This is my first time ever doing anything for you. And may I add that I was very happy to see your ad in the Shining Light loop magazine. The Charity that I am most involved with is Hope well United Methodist Church and Downingtown PA. Which I helped start their annual arch and their prison ministry. So even that I am in prison, I am not really in prison. I am free. I use my art to help others.”
Image description: A painting of a baby chick, a rooster, and a bloody axe in the background. The chick appears to be looking through a mirror at the rooster.