You Can't Stop an Artist
I have a friend in Pelican Bay State Prison. He is an amazing artist, and an amazing
man. Until very recently, he has not been allowed to have any art supplies, because of security restrictions.
But Gilbert is an artist. He scraped magazine pictures to get little piles of pigment and then mixed them with peanut butter oil. "Brushes" he made from rolled up toilet
paper. He created works of art on the soft paper allowed in the security unit where he is confined.
This is the first picture of Gilbert’s I saw. It was in a letter to my daughter. They write to each other because he is taking
Scientology courses by mail from the church where she is an instructor.
I snapped this photo with my iTouch, and asked my daughter
Julia to let Gilbert know how much I admired his art.
A Surprise in the Mail
Soon after I moved to Idaho, Julia forwarded a letter to me. Gilbert has asked Julia what her mother liked. Julia answered, “I
know she loves Jesus.”
Here is what Gilbert Loza sent me:
I wrote back to Gilbert, and we have exchanged a
few letters now. Something immediately “clicked”
between us, and we are able to write to each other like old friends.
I told him I had family and friends who would love to see
more of his work, and he gave me permission to share his drawings on the
Internet.
To him that hath, more shall be given!
This week he told me that he has just been approved to buy pastels and pens from the prison canteen. He sent me a new picture, and told me that with my skill as a poet, I could turn it into a Valentine's Card.
I look forward to teaming with Gilbert. But for this post, I think I will let the card speak for itself.
Please SHARE this post if you admire Gilbert’s talent and would
like to see more of his art!
oOo
