Prisoner art displayed at defender's Ohio offices

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Dozens of artworks by prison inmates make up exhibits being displayed this month at federal public defender offices in Ohio

The Akron Legal News reports that the U.S. public defender for northern Ohio, Dennis Terez, is hosting the project at his offices in Akron, Cleveland and Toledo.

Prisoners have created about 300 artworks for the shows on fabric, paper and canvas. They’re framed by 2-by-4s cut and painted by inmates in the garage of a prison art teacher.

Among the works on display in Akron are portraits by the late Jimmy Corrin Sr., who was imprisoned in Ohio for 30 years and drew on handkerchiefs during stints in solitary confinement, using a state-issued pen, black coffee and floor wax.

Money from any sales generally goes to an inmate’s family.