Paño Art

Paño Art was born deep in the belly of the California Prison System many years ago. Back then, depending on the prison and the security level, paper and/or art supplies were not available to certain inmates. So some of the guys would get a hold of a writing instrument and create art on a Paño (the spanish word for Handkerchief). These works of art evolved and served as pictorial letters to each other and to their families and associates on the outside. These pieces often depicted the harsh reality of Prison Life. They usually contain images symbolizing a prisoners deepest emotions like pain, time lost, love ones, memories, cultural and religious icons, etc. Take it from me, this art form can be very challenging. Anybody that has put a ballpoint pen to a cotton cloth knows this technique can be very unforgiving.