Empathy is the Seed, Truth is the Water, Solidarity is the Bloomage Art Show 2021

  • Painting of a tree, with brushy strokes in brown depicting the trunk, and many small leaves covering the branches above. Below the tree are a number of colorful flowers, including a white and a red daffodil, and more flowers in yellow, blue, pink, orange and purple, with green grass in the background. Behind the tree is a pale blue sky, with some birds visible in the distance. On top of the leaves of the tree and painted in light pink are the words: “Plant a seed and watch it grow, tell somebody, anybody, and everybody you know. Look to your neighbor with an outstretched hand. Communicate with them to show you understand. We all are people of the human Race, made in God’s image with love and grace. We may have our differences, but there are many similarities, So let’s work on that, come together and make a difference in our communities.
  • A painting of a variety of flowers and vines on a textured orange-gold background. The flowers include lilacs, roses, daisies, violets, and sunflowers. A butterfly and hummingbird fly over the flowers. In the top center, the vines write the word “solidarity”.
  • From the right hand corner of the image, a light-skinned woman peeks out with her head tilted to the left. She has black hair that is pulled back and is wearing a white shirt. She looks directly out at the viewer of the image. To the left and right of her head are a red squiggly line surrounded by a series of lines in brown. She is standing against an impressionistic watercolor background that is dark grey, teal, green, blue, and light grey like the colors of a storm. Above and to the left of her in blue lettering it reads “Ashley.”
  • A woman with brown skin and hair pulled up into yellow ribbons stands confidently with eyes cast down. She has red lips and is wearing a grey-blue sweatshirt. She stands in front of an impressionistic pink, grey and blue background. Above her to the left in a fancy, semi-cursive font it read “Jessica” in black writing.
  • A figure with black hair parted in the middle, wearing a white buttoned top and slacks stands in front of a curving rainbow against an impressionistic pink, grey and blue background. The figure has one hand on their hip, and their other hand is put up against their cheek in a playful, confident pose. They’re also smiling slightly and wearing sunglasses. Above and to the left, in a fancy, semi-cursive font it reads “Kay-Kay” in black writing.
  • Two large open hands are cupped holding some seeds in their palms. The seeds are brown with white stripes defining them. The word “Empathy” is spelled out across the seeds, one letter on a seed. The skin tone of these hands are a bit ambiguous; the palms could be a person of any race though the highlighting around the edges suggest someone of African descent. The background is a deep dark blue and in the right corner is a yellow signature of the artist “Van 21”
  • Brightly colored piece with a background of rich yellow overlaid with small brown dots. To the left of the image there are three faces with long hair flowing behind them, and facing to the right. Swirls of color and water drops seem to be coming forth out of the figures’ closed mouths. One of the faces has light brown hair and eyes, and orange, brown, and white hair. Another face has pink skin, blue eyes, and red, purple, and pink hair. The third face is looking up from the bottom, and has brown skin, green eyes, and purple, yellow, pink, and orange hair. The three faces appear to be looking at the right top corner of the piece, where there is a small grey open barred cage. Three fairly like figures in the cage look back at the larger faces, with kind or loving expressions. Each one of the fairly like figures has similar eyes, skin, and hair color to one of the larger faces, and each is surrounded in a skirt of green leaves, and has a pair of butterfly-like wings.
  • Close up: Tree branches embroidered a white piece of cloth. One portion of the branch is dark brown and curving to the left. Two other portions of the branch are lighter brown and more upright. One part of the light brown branches is sprouting light pink flowers and small green leaves. Alongside the pink flowers, another portion of the branches have green, then yellow, and finally orange leaves moving from left to right. Some of the orange leaves are beginning to fall from the tree branches.
  • goauache on paper
  • SONY DSC
Artist in Prison Gallery
Artist in Solidarity Gallery


Welcome to Let’s Get Free’s 5th Annual Art Show. This year’s show features 34 artists in prison and 35 artists in solidarity expressing a range of media, from watercolor to cross stitch to sculpture. Art as a tool for liberation has been a central element of Let’s Get Free’s work since its inception, and its annual art shows have steadily built advocacy to end mass incarceration and work for peace.

This is a contest. Winners will be announced by December 19th and all participants will be notified for both the visual art show and poetry contest. Please vote for your favorite piece in each gallery.

Vote Here

This is an auction and fundraiser. All money raised goes to Let’s Get Free. We are hoping to raise $10,000 and sign up 30 new monthly sustainers 🙂

Check Out the Auction
Walking into the Brewhouse Gallery at night.
Thank you to all the artists!!
Thank you to all the poets!!
Thank you to all the volunteers!!
Thank you to Let’s Get Free’s 74 monthly sustainers!!
Thank you BrewHouse!!
Thank you to the Opportunity Fund and The Pittsburgh Foundation!!
Thank you to everyone trying to get free!
Artists in Prison
Artists in Solidarity
Guest Book