The Fortune Society – Insider Art: The New Outsider Art
Auction Ends: Dec 18, 2005 06:00 PM EST

Patriotic

'American Pride and Freedom' by Harold Laird

"American Pride and Freedom" by Harold Laird

Item Number
048
Estimated Value
Priceless
Sold
46 USD to crimsv
Number of Bids
11  -  Bid History

Item Description

10x15, shampoo, colored crayons

Item Special Note

As a lifer incarcerated in a Texas prison since the age of 16 (I'm 30 now), I see people with their freedom and pride, yet they take it for granted. I wanted to show people the beauty of these two gifts that the good Lord has given us, but I also wanted to show that too much of either is dangerous. The eagle is the perfect symbol of pride and freedom. The poor quality of all the art supplies sold in this prison is worse than in a kindergarden class, so I've had to struggle to find better ways to create. For instance, I have to re-bristle paint brushes with hair off my own head because the bristles on the ones we can buy are plastic and don't hold paint. To make better quality paint I use shampoo to "melt" colored pencils into the water color paint and then I use that. It works very well! It's very frustrating to have to work around these barriers, but satisfying in the end once you overcome them to create a beautiful piece of art.

This piece will be on display at the Lab Gallery at the
Roger Smith Hotel in NYC from December 13th-17th.