Craft
By: E.L. MacSpatch
There's an amazing store of artistic abilities locked in
Pennsylvania's prisons. One of the most useful is the cottage
industry of hand-making greeting cards. Clever entrepreneurs
spend hours creating cards which other prisoners sent to loved
ones. Each handmade piece is an original work of art which may
take an hour or more to draw and color. Typically the artist
letters a customized sentiment inside the card.
 The example above was created by Walter Despnett, a talented young man who's a prolific artist. His card is decorated not just on the front, but also on the back with the puffy abstraction. Inside the corners are also decorated with interesting designs. As with most such cards, this one measures about 3.75 inches wide and 9.25 inches tall. It's constructed of sturdy stock. Most such cards are sold to other prisoners for a pittance, about $1 apiece. Oddly, it's an illegal black market. Prison officials try to stifle prisoners abilities. It's against the rules for them to try to survive by earning a few pennies with their art work. Hypocritically, the prison system happily sells prisoner art when it can profit from the prisoners' efforts. It's only against the rules where it helps the prisoner. Lest the officials become punishment obsessed, the above example was donated. The prisoner broke no rules. We've often wondered why the general public doesn't buy and use the handmade cards produced by prisoners. They are cheaper and much more original than commercial cards. If you're interested and willing to pay $25 a dozen, we'll try to put you in contact with an artist. You are welcome to use or republish
any of our material.
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