Nevada State Prison inmate and rock carver Billy Beck kneels next to a piece of his art for sale Wednesday at the Nevada State Prison art show. Below, a number of small-scale models of various aircraft wait to be sold at the Nevada State Prison art show Wednesday. The models were crafted with balsa wood and tissue by inmate Robert Reed. Rick Gunn/Nevada Appeal
This week's inmate hobbycraft sale will become a regular event at the Nevada State Prison when a storefront opens at the prison in August.
Inmates have made and sold items as an annual fund-raiser for Empire Elementary School and this year will donate more than $11,000 to the school from their third annual Nevada State Prison hobbycraft sale that wrapped up Wednesday.
Inmates make and sell leather wallets and belts, stained pine dressers and coffee tables, hand-carved stone bird baths and sculptures, fine American Indian beading, crocheted blankets and more.
Inmate craftsmen will take special orders for leather book covers, wooden furniture and stone sculptures.
Organizers, who set a goal of $13,000 for the two-day event, raised about $11,000 the first day alone. Part of the money raised during the event pays for playground equipment at the school. The rest goes back to inmates to help pay for more supplies.
The prison has set up a small wooden building outside the fence where more regular hobbycraft sales will take place.
The store is scheduled to open at the end of August.