The Dixon CC Theatre Workshop (DTW) was started in 2018 by a diverse group of prisoners from different age groups. Their purpose was to use the creativity of the theatre as a forum to amplify the voices and stories of prisoners during the era of mass incarceration. To accomplish this the DTW wrote and performed original plays, concerts, spoken word poetry, we also hosted writing expositions, and roundtable discussions.

After taking stock of all the accomplishments and successes, the DTW changed its name to the Dixon CC Performing Arts (DPA) program. We hope our new name will inspire other prisoners to create prisoner-led programs that demonstrate our collective ability to lead, our dignity, humanity and our commitment to improving the lives, culture and conditions of the incarcerated.

Note: Over two hundred members of the Dixon CC community, including staff have participated in DPA programming.

We appreciate the continued support of Chaplain R. Thomas, our program sponsor, and all the Wardens who have approved our events for seeing the value we bring to the Dixon CC community and beyond.

Vision Statement: Transformational Therapeutic Rehabilitation Through The Arts. 

Mission Statement: To create original content that has a positive impact on the Dixon CC community and beyond. 

Toussaint Daniels is my friend and colleague. He has been on a remarkable journey, because he is too humble to write about himself, I asked for his permission to write this story.

Toussaint grew up on the South Side of Chicago. He lived in both the Englewood and Chatham communities. Unfortunately, like far too many kids from Chicago, he got caught up in the lure of the streets, which subsequently led to his being swept up into the criminal justice system while still a juvenile, a “Lost One,” Toussaint ended up serving a man’s time.

Without fully understanding what he was doing, Toussaint began to write poetry as a form of therapy. Writing helped him explore the inevitable questions that becoming an adult brings. Those questions would’ve been difficult ones in any environment, but, coupled with self- exploration, in the arid eco-system of a maximum security prison, required a tremendous amount of self-determination.

To cope, Toussaint poured his pain over countless pages of poetry. He honed his skills on the hard concrete floors and cold steel galleries of Stateville. By the time he transferred out of Stateville the DNA of his unique spoken word style could be heard in the lyrics of the poets he left behind.

Toussaint arrived at Henry Hill C.C. a heralded spoken word artist, but he focused on the college courses this new prison provided. He acquired his Associate’s degree and Parale-gal Certification while still managing to work on his poetry. Instead of flowing on galleries, he could be heard at the ciphers in the units and on the yard. As he matured, so did his poetry. He was now using his lyrics to teach. I attended an event in the Hill Gym in which a visiting group of spoken word artists, from Western Illinois University, performed. Toussaint participated, more than holding his own, he turned the gym out.

The next stop on his prison journey was here, in Dixon C.C. the first thing he focused on was knitting together a community of writers. I was in the outer circle of that community, as I was an out-of-work prison newspaper journalist who had never written anything besides articles. Nevertheless, Toussaint brought me into the inner circle of that community.

In late 2018, C/O Stramka, an officer, highly regarded by the individuals in custody here at Dixon, was appointed interim Chaplain. Once installed, Chaplain Stramka made a bold decision. He empowered the writing community to create what is now known as the Dixon Per- forming Arts (DPA) Program. Toussaint, and Darrion Benson co-wrote the vision and mission statement. They also wrote the curriculum that the DPA workshops are taught from. Toussaint helped engineer the most impactful program on the culture here in Dixon. At the same time, he has produced, directed, or performed in every production that DPA has done. He’s also done a lot to lift up other guys. He has mentored and supported every writer and per- former that has participated in DPA projects.

Now, as Toussaint’s prison journey nears its end, the DPA is about to tackle its most ambitious production yet. This upcoming Black Heritage Month, the DPA will present: “The Story of Violence,” a play written by Toussaint Daniels and his select team of writers. The play is set in Chicago and it examines the high level of violence that plagues the city’s under- resourced Black and Brown communities. The team of writers is comprised of men from different areas and eras. They have lived this story. They didn’t stop at examining the root causes of violence, they also offered solutions they believe could help curb the violence. The dialogue is infused with spoken word pieces that elevate the grief, as well as a range of other emotions portrayed by the characters.

This play is the culmination of Toussaint’s journey through prison and the launching

pad for his life as a free man for the first time in his life.

Toussaint, as well as the other DPA facilitators, thank Paramount Theatre and Theatre School for their help and support with this project. We also thank South Side Weekly, Chicago’s top community newspaper, for their generous support and coverage of this project.

We also especially thank Still Point Theatre Collective. The company will hold a public reading of “The Story of Violence” next month. We are confident that the reading will result in the play being produced beyond the wall. We thank our current DPA sponsor, Chaplain R. Thomas and Assistant Warden A. Tack. Although other administrators allowed the DPA to begin, we appreciate you both for recognizing the value we bring to the Dixon community and letting us continue under your watch.

Submitted By Brian Beals

*Kewanne Horizons Vol 17

The art room in Dixon C.C. is the meeting place where the creatives gather to exchange ideas that inspire one another. There are a few who come to the art room because the program is a refuge where they can escape the usual sea of chaos churning in the housing units, at least for a few hours a week. Although prisoners sign up for the program for different reasons, it’s their shared love of art mixed with their diverse racial and cultural backgrounds that generate the eclectic vibes which makes the art room a cherished space.

The art program is supervised by the Leisure Time Services (LTS) department, but it is managed by Peer Art Instructors. One of the former art room instructors was Ulysses “Jake” Jacobs. He painted a mural of a beach at twilight, it shows the full spectrum of yellows to reds in the wake of the receding sun, and various hues of blue as Orcas dance above the waves. The mural is a beautiful illustration of his talent and skill with colors; it bathes the art room in peaceful energy. There’s an article tacked to the bulletin board in the art room with a picture showing Jake receiving the Presidential Award from Ronald Reagan College for a collection of paintings he’d done of Dixon Illinois and the surrounding area; which is the birthplace of the college’s namesake.

After Jake’s release in 2016, Nicholas “Red” Haselrig became the lead art room instructor. There’s not an official process that determines the distinction, the room kind of decides. When it came to Red, the choice was easy because he was a natural. Red was a self-taught artist from Chicago’s east side. He expanded his knowledge of art while serving time at Statesville C.C. and Henry Hill C.C. Before leaving Dixon, he led teams that completed murals in the chapel as well as a peace themed mural in the hospital used by the mentally impaired portion of the prison population. “Crossroads”, a prison ministry magazine, featured one of Red’s paintings titled “The Spirit of Creativity” on its cover in 2020. That painting is currently on display in the Kent District Library, located in Wyoming. To view his art, go to his blog “On Parole.org, under Nicholas Haselrig.

I sat down with Red for this interview after the art room reopened following the pan-

demic lockdown. The following are my questions and his answers:

Q: What impact has incarceration had on your art?

A: For me, it’s something I picked up in here. I believe my incarceration has brought art out of me.

Q: When you hear the term “Prison Art”, what is your reaction?

A: Confinement. I don’t think artists in prison should be defined by their confinement. I am not a prison artist, I’m an artist. Any prisoner can produce pieces that are both admirable and respectable. The same as works that were created by Monet, Picasso, etc. Incarcerated artists shouldn’t have their work locked into the “prison art” category…what’s that? Artists who accept that label can get caught into an infantile state where they never grow creatively. There is a marginalization of art coming out of prisons. It’s devalued before it’s exhibited or marketed because it’s labeled “prison art”.

Q: Do you think artists in prison have a responsibility to create art that describes prison life, culture, and conditions?

A: I can’t speak for all artists that are incarcerated, or to what their responsibilities are or should be. For me, I’ve always viewed art as a language that has the capacity to express qualities of the human experience that’s (sic) impossible to describe in any other terms. Art gives form to a range of feelings for which we have no words.

These figurative/narrative artworks you speak of present enormous opportunities for artists to bridge the gap. This is done by reaching across the aisle to share conversations with all people on issues concerning equality, stewardship, civility, etc. I’m a bit reluctant to admit it, but, for these reasons, yes, I do believe that artists have the painful responsibility of documenting the times and conditions they live in. No matter if the conditions be mass incarceration or some other socio-political reasons.

Q: What is your personal style as an artist?

A: I appreciate all styles of art, such as: impressionism, surrealism, futurism, etc. This appreciation is het driving force that leads me in my attempts to mimic these styles. I always learn something new by not confining myself to one particular style.

My eye can gravitate towards the organized chaos of abstract art. On the other hand, I can simply be inspired by the subject matter of people, places, or things.

A huge interest in my art journey is connected to interpretation. I enjoy creating images that depict strength, struggle, or other themes picked from my subconscious. When people view these works, I thirst for and appreciate their interpretations. Their interpretations, mostly those that are vastly different from my thoughts, assist me in my struggle to reach beyond my superficial thinking of the work.

Q: Have you had problems with prison officials limiting your ability to buy material or with censorship?

Answer: Yes, there are always regulations in prison. I quickly learned at the beginning of my art journey, in prison, that these regulations also extend to art. The restrictions on material we are allowed to have didn't really shock me. Pens, markers, pencils, and paintbrushes are viewed as potential weapons. Regulations in the form of censorship, I learned later, is what I viewed as cruel and unusual. I learned that if I chose to paint a wildlife animal, such as a lion, this can be viewed as gang symbolism. If I decide to depict a known reality, such as police brutality, or an image of police handling a person of color with excessive force, its considered a threat to the safety and security of the prison. I never knew that shackles could be placed on a person's creative expression.

Put this in the interview, it is a question and answer that was edited out. Put it in adifferent color and let people know this was put back in by request of the author.

Q: You’re well known for teaching and inspiring beginners and experienced artists to develop their skills. Why have you committed so much of your time and made teaching a part of your artistic experience?

A: I don’t consider myself a teacher of art. I’m still learning myself. Here, in Dixon C.C., I managed to land an assignment in the prison’s art room. Here, the prison has what one could consider a sanctuary with enough peace and space to complete art. Many artists, beginners and experienced, regularly attend the art room on their scheduled day, some are inspired by my work or seek tips on to achieve certain effects with different art mediums.

I do my best to instruct them to the theoretical knowledge that I have gathered from simple “how-to” instruction manuals. Through this process, I’m learning how to teach, and this has given me a new, profound respect for teachers. My love for the craft drives me to commit so much time. It has become part of who I am.

Q: What is the next step on your artistic journey?

A: The next step in my journey is trying to figure out how to get my art to extend beyond confinement while physically being free and present to enter my art into a legitimate marketplace, where I have creative and financial control.

After Red departed Dixon via a transfer to a lower level facility, Sherman "Spearo" Spears became the the lead Art Room Instructor. Spearo got the position during a time of very low morale in the program. Morale plunged when prison officials kept the artroom shuttered until July 2022, after restarting all the other programs in March of that year. The program suffered another serious blow to morale when the same officials stopped art supply company Dick Blick from doung business at the prison. The company had been an approved vendor for years. They sold a wide variety of high quality material. The decision to have the commissary sell a paltry amount of art supplies is puzzling; especially when the commissary struggles to keep basic needs, like soap and tooth paste in stock.

It is widely accepted that prisoners use art as a way of coping with trauma and stress. So, pairing down a successful program makes little sense. Here's whats obvious, Sherman Spears is hoing to need a lot of help rebuilding the art program at Dixon CC back to its former respectability.

(The highlighted text was edited out of the published article)

[End of interview] 

Spears is going to need a lot of help rebuilding the art program at Dixon C.C. back to its former respectability.

                                                                                                                    Submitted By Brian Beals

*Kewanee Horizons Vol 23