Prisoners to display and sell art at show

Arts and crafts of nearly all types will be displayed and sold at the third annual Nevada State Prison Art Show on Tuesday and Wednesday.

From rock art to leather crafts and from jewelry to T-shirts and stuffed animals, inmates will have between 300 and 400 items for sale.

Proceeds will benefit Empire Elementary School. In the past, the donations have been used to help purchase playground equipment and provide new books for the school's library.

Principal Pat Carpenter admits a prison is an unusual education partner, but insists it benefits the community.

"If people are going to start feeling good about themselves, they usually do it by reaching out to other people," she said. "Children are the perfect people to reach out to."

And ignoring inmates won't help the situation.

"In schools all through the district, students have parents, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, someone they know, in prison," she said. "It's a part of our society."

Carpenter has attended other art shows.

"Their work is really interesting and quite remarkable," she said.

Inmates in the rock-carving group constructed the memorial wall in Mills Park, planets for the walkway leading to Western Nevada Community College's Jack C. Davis Observatory, a sign welcoming visitors to Dayton and Nevada Department of Transportation memorial rocks, commemorating all their employees who have died while in service.

They also carved from stone a rock featuring Empire Elementary School's mascot.

Payment for art must be made by checks and money orders only; a picture ID card is required. Do not wear blue jeans to the show.

If you go:

What: Nevada State Prison Art Show

When: Tuesday and Wednesday

Where: 3301 E. Fifth St.

Contact Teri Vance at tvance@nevadaappeal.com or at 881-1272.