Hello my name is Angela Hellman. I”m 33 and currently incarcerated @ SCI Muncy. Art has been a huge piece of my sanity as I’ve spent several years of my life imprisoned, both as a juvenile and most of my adulthood. It’s my escape.
My passion for both art and poetry come from unspeakable pain and often loneliness, but I find that I’m at my best while at my worst.
While I may not be a victim of life behind bars, I still feel an obligation to myself and others to speak n and fight for what is right…
Just because I’m not waking in those shoes dont mean I haven’t felt them out for size.
These 2 pieces are inspired by the trying times in which we are subject to both the world outside of these walls and inside the world I’m imprisoned in. Originally I put together the BLM piece without knowing the topic of the contest however it speaks loudly on the movement that is currently going on. So I would like to submit it considering that African American men and women all over the country are being targeted and are losing their lives at the hands of police, correction officers, judges, etc, inside and outside of prison Death By Incarceration upon arrest and while incarcerated, in holding cells (Sandra Bland) and so on.
My second piece speaks for itself as a woman with a life sentence visits with her daughter and grandchild sick and immobile but still forced to spend her final days of life talking through glass without the comfort of physical contact. If you could contact me once you receive this via kiosk messaging or mail, and let me know your opinions and inform me that you received it I would appreciate it.
Also I’m open to any opportunity you have for me to get my artwork and poetry out there, so if you have anything please let me know.
Medium: Drawing
[Image description: The piece depicts a woman and her child visiting their elderly mother/grandmother in prison. The elderly woman is attached to an oxygen tank and has left her wheelchair to kneel on the floor and put her hand up to the glass to meet the hands of her daughter and granddaughter. The elderly woman has white hair and glasses. The Daughter has long brown hair, a green nike hoodie and blue jeans. The grandaughter wears a grey GAP onesie with pink socks. They both have bows in their hair. At the bottom left of the image in red capital letters on a yellow square are the words, “Stop death by incarceration.”]
