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Inmates Are Drawn To Art Program

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 8, 2008

RIVERVIEW - RIVERVIEW - Cherylanne Harrelson, 47, said she finds peace of mind in the art room at the Hillsborough County Correctional Institution off County Road 672 in Riverview.

"In prison, you're told when you can shower, when you can eat and when you have to go to sleep. Everything is so controlled. You have no free will," said Harrelson, who was sentenced in 1998 to 15 years for forgery and bad checks, and was transferred from Georgia to the Riverview facility in May.

One of 292 inmates at the women's prison south of Big Bend Road, Harrelson is one of dozens of inmates who say they find a mental escape from the harsh realities of prison life during weekly art classes taught at the facility by Brandon artist Minnette Webster.

Webster launched the art program four years ago. Inmates attend the class for about an hour a week and have access to the art classroom a few hours every day.

More than 300 works of art created by the inmates are on display at Center Place Fine Art and Civic Association, 619 Vonderburg Drive, Brandon, through July. A reception will be held from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

For information, contact Center Place art coordinator Dawn Galia at cpbrandon@verizon.net or (813) 685-8888.

Laura Frazier

To view a gallery of photos about the Hillsborough County Correctional Institution art program, go to Brandon.TBO.com, Keyword: Prison Art

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