Beyond the Bricks

A local project has allowed inmates a chance to communicate through art.
The Crossing Arts Alliance has worked with the Crow Wing County Jail for the “Beyond the Bricks” project.
Volunteers created the Beyond The Bricks display for the inmates to gaze upon today.
The public will have the chance to see the pieces on September 25h, when the project moves to the Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd.
Art instructors have been visiting the jail since September, 2013, honing the inmates’ skills and helping them produce visual and literary art.
Rather than bombarding the inmates with reminders of their mistakes, Beyond the Bricks allows them to hear positive remarks and build confidence.
The collection includes more than 100 pieces of literary and visual art and will be featured in a book, “Behind the Bricks,” published by Chip Borkenhagen’s company, RiverPlace Press.
The Crossing Arts Alliance invites the public to sponsor copies of the “Behind the Bricks” book. The alliance hopes to distribute the books to libraries, prisons, churches, and more.