Art has always been a part of my life. My father and mother were painters and collectors. I have been a maker ever since my father enrolled me in my first art class. It was at Miss Iris’s Hale Street basement apartment in Georgia. I was five years old and I have been a maker ever since. After a long career as a criminal defense lawyer, I returned to painting and began studying with established painters and artists. I found my voice by merging those two lifelong interests, criminal justice and fine art practice. I have been fortunate to have good teachers who guided me. My current work began with a series of portraits of former clients. The goal was simple, to paint as I saw them, as fellow human beings who have been dehumanized and even discarded by society. Then I realized that there was a larger multifaceted story to tell, that their voices needed to be heard. I began recording their stories, collecting family snapshots they agreed to share, studying cases, and from there new series began to develop.
The foregoing is part of an interview with Rice • The Contemporary Art Magazine Celebrating Equality and Inclusion, June 2020 issue. To read the complete interview and see all the jail cell collages featured click below.
Artwork by Glynn B. Cartledge
Untitled Jail Cell