I
tried
to
paint
the
sky
But
couldn't
remake
the
moment
No,
you
had
to
be
there
With
her
and
I
I
sang
a
song
to
the
river
But
the
water
didn't
care
No,
you
had
to
be
there
To
see
her
hand
in
mine
Don't
you
miss
your
moment?
It
will
surely
pass
you
by
You
can't
relive
a
moment
Only
in
your
dying
mind
So
hold
on
to
it
Cause
you
can't
remake
the
sky
I
tried
to
mould
a
mountain
But
couldn't
climb
my
way
down
No,
you
had
to
be
there
To
see
my
dreams
flow
through
her
hair
I
tried
to
tell
my
tale
But
even
with
endless
pages
filled
You
had
to
be
there
To
feel
her
lips
and
see
her
smile
Free The Artist
An online gallery by incarcerated artists
The Free the Artist gallery emerged from thousands of letters we received from Art of Soulmaking participants over the years, some of which included original works of art. From this natural outpouring of creativity we built this online gallery to showcase these voices. In 2026 we will open submissions to the 1 million person incarcerated population on the Edovo learning platform.
Stories from the Prison Monastery
Unconditional Freedom
About Free The Artist
Expression and ability to contribute are foundational to human dignity. Free The Artist is an initiative of the Prison Monastery to enable the thousands of artists in prison and jails to showcase their art to the world. Free The Artist receives hundreds of pieces of art every year, which are then professionally scanned and uploaded to our online gallery. Free The Artist supports both in person and digital art training inside corrections facilities.
This online gallery is just the beginning. Future Releases will enable artists in prison to commercialize their work, while Free The Artist will expand its partnerships with other art galleries and art agents to further bring prison art to the forefront.
Free The Artist is an initiative of Unconditional Freedom 501(c)3 EIN: 91-2158747, and part of the Prison Monastery Model
