One day I asked myself: Who am I now? Who can I be?
In prison, I filled myself with white, black, and Native teachings. I felt so bad, I knew I needed to be good and do good. So here’s who I am: I’m a loyal son, husband, brother, father, and close friend. And I give back. For the fifteen years I’ve created programs and possibilities for people coming out of prison.
I’m also an artist. You get to learn your own style in art, and your own style in life. Art is about choices—it’s about not getting distracted by the 10,000 things.
But it’s also about complexity and silent features. It’s about inviting people closer to see who I really am: my art looks flat from a distance, but as you get closer, you can see what’s really going on.
It’s the same thing with criminal records: they make a person look flat from a distance. You’re a criminal, you’re a felon. But if someone steps closer, if they really see you for you, in all your complexity.