Artists Incarcerated Vs Prison Artists; How Are They Really Viewed?

What do you mean "will he even be allowed out in public?" All free people are allowed out in public. If he has completed his time and has been released, why would you say that?

I can't speak for the "art community" and to tell you the truth, Danny, this subject hasn't really been on my mind.

I can't answer any of your questions. I'm sorry.

But a quote that has helped me thru some difficult situations (and which I'm about to test again in the next few days), may help your friend. I hope so.

“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” Napoleon Hill

This is more than something "good" comes out of something "bad". Hill explains that we have to LOOK for the seed of an equal or greater benefit within the adversity and then once we find the seed we have to nurture and grow it into the benefit.

Best wishes to you and your artist friend and his family.

Bill Tomsa

https://bill-tomsa.pixels.com

I'll write to him and pass this along. I know he'll appreciate it. It's encouragement and he appreciates all encouragement at this time.

Joy M. talking with his wife, she understands that upon release, he'll be under the control of a probation officer. In the state where they live, probation officers are known to be very controlling. They tell them if and when they can go anywhere. They aren't allowed to go to church. They aren't allowed to go to most restaurants. They can't even go to certain jobs without the probation officers strict approval and conditions. So, they're feeling like he won't be allowed out in public without asking "Mother, May I?" all the time.

He has written that you have two types of artists on the "inside." There is the incarcerated artist and the prison artist. The incarcerated artists are the people who have honed their craft for years. Some have been teachers, craftsmen, illustrators and they continue to grow behind bars. Then the prison artists are those who have by need to find something to do other than read or watch TV, these have put pen in hand and started doodling. Most of these wind up with some amazing tattoo sketches and drawings that relate their own feelings of abandonment and loneliness to the outside world. Meanwhile, the incarcerated artists are trying to put out art that has nothing to do with their prison state as they refuse to let that invade their creativity. My artist friend has been incarcerated 5 yrs and 5 months. He's got 4 yrs and 4 months to go (If he lives through the pandemic.) He's found if he finds something to work on in series, it helps his creativity. He's worked on Miracles of the Bible, Antique cars depicted in an era of when the car was new and is planning a series of paintings in current time but relating to the stanzas of The Lord's Prayer. I guess my original post was asking, When released, will he be viewed as a formerly incarcerated artist, a prison artist or just an artist?

I, personally. would view him as an artist. Period. I needn't know he was in prison - unless that was a part of his marketing. Otherwise he is just a person who made a mistake, paid for that bad choice and is moving on.

would anyone care? no.

that's the short and simple answer, he's a guy who is unknown, jail aside, does anyone care about anyone? no.

i also don't know the difference between your two examples.

being an artist, means no one has to know about your past if you don't want to tell them. and if you become famous you can say it was therapy to stay sane in prison. if your working at a job it will get in the way, a prison record usually does. the art has to stand out on its own. if he's freed, he would be allowed out, unless the city is in lockdown. or maybe it will be a home release.

i don't view anyone as anything, i judge it on the art. i remember once, we were at a museum, and they had i guess sculptures there, it was made of garbage basically. yarn, string, wire etc. and i said, crazy people made those... and my mother said, no, its art it can be anything etc... and we read the little sign and it said - these were made by people in an mental institution. each art piece has a stolen thing they took themselves and then wrapped them in basically garbage.

now i don't know anything about the artist, i only judged the art, which was, they were garbage. were the humans garbage? probably, after all they stole stuff for the art. but as a single person, i never gave it any thought. same with any person on the street.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

I think he's the one feeling the worry of how he'll be viewed. So many years out of society, you start to wonder if anyone even remembers you ever existed. Many local people I speak with don't even remember his arrest, much less why. Yet, he had all those years to go. I will let you know some of his art is shown along side of my artwork on my profile here. It makes him feel better to know it gets positive responses. He's really struggling to remain positive being locked down for the last two months with no end in sight and in the same dorm area where he lives are at least 100 positive covid inmates. Try to remain positive in all that. He will feel so much better knowing other members of the art community and art lovers feel when his time is up, his debt has been paid and he can move forward.

as long as he doesn't keep bringing it up, no one has to know or remember. like you don't hear martha stewart talk about her time in the big house. decorating shiv's and making weapons from pine cones. its not a thing you talk about. only talk about it if it comes up, and it will at an interview, but coffee and lunch... no.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

on the other hand, if the pieces show emotion, being in prison and making art that has some sort of angst - then it may help to say that he was in prison and here is the art. but if the art is of sailboats, cats and trees... no, stay silent. let it be a surprise story he tells his grand kids about when they think grandpa is boring.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Mike, I think the difference would be why he feels the need to sign his art with a different name. I showed some of his work to a group of so called art lovers from Scottsdale. They googled his name and almost threw the piece back in my face. No way were they going to have anything to do with an inmate. Then again, that's Scottsdale for you. But, after that, he started signing his art with his birth name. See, as a baby he was adopted and given his present name. But, he's signing his name with the name that was on his original birth certificate. This way, he's being accepted a lot better. Maybe that's the difference. It's all in a name and how the internet news portrays a name. You google his name now and you get a mug shot and story of cases and charges. You google his birth name and you get his art.

Mike, you are fun to read. I like your responses. He's refusing to do anything of angst and hate. He likes cars, old scenery, families small animals, humor. He even paints Biblical scenes. Nothing angst at all.

Danny,

Was he a household name prior to prison?

Most artists are not famous at all.

If people buy his art or not is the same for any of us. Many artists here are barely selling.

And that is not a matter of getting in line at all.

Life is what you make of it. But in prison you do not get that option to make something of life. I think that might be his worry, coming back into making his way all over again.

Dave

Then those were the wrong customers.. you'll have to try again.

If you suspect he may not even be allowed in public, that raises a question. Without knowing the crime it is hard to speculate how the public will view him. No one is above the law or scrutiny of people, artists included.

Edit... If the crime involed money, or violence or misdemeanor generaly he pay the penalty and people may forgive.
If the crime is child abuse or any thing in that nature , then thats a different story.

Danny, First I never heard of the distinction you announced here [incarcerated vs prison]; one way or the other, the terms are irrelevant if he merely moves on with his life and artwork - unless of course he decides (as has been mentioned already) to 'utilize' his prior circumstances as a marketing talking point, at which time: he will own any pull-back from the art-public. Change his name, use his name, make a monogram it makes no difference.

You spoke to people and perhaps 'preempted' the artwork. I have to wonder what prompted the reaction you described ?? In any event if the work is as solid as you say it is, then he will be on equal ground with all the other artists in his vicinity, with similar talent and promotional skills.

And yes, when he gets out, and becomes '...under the control of a probation officer.' [though it sounds more like a parole officer situation] he will have to get permission to do some things - but not his art and I have never, ever, heard of restrictions being imposed on the practice of religion in this country. But I imagine he and his family are worried as to life after incarceration; and it will be a different reality to be sure - but since he is a creative person, he will have an edge-up on others with similar circumstances.

As for the career of an artist, your friend is (and will be) in the same boat as the rest of us - never enough patronage and always something new to learn about our 'demarche' (calling, craft, interest-of-life, creativity...)

Perhaps he won't be allowed in restaurants where alcohol is served? That's the only thing I can think of. I guess it may depend on the conditions of his parole. But people coming out of prison have to report to their parole officer... it's just the way it is. But it's not forever.

Yes he may have to build up respect for himself on the outside again. if he's going back to his old neighborhood. People will have to see the change in him and accept him, and it won't be easy. He may not be able to move to a different state until his parole is up.

The road back into society for ex-inmates is not easy at all. I have first hand knowledge of this, because of a family member. There are some services out there and he should take advantage of them all. He will have to work at a steady job too as part of his parole, so his art will have to be done in his spare time. I wish him good luck.

i just don't get why someone would refuse the art for a minor felony. i just find it hard to believe that a minor crime would be recorded well enough that it would be online, i know its public record but still... does he have a web presence? because that's what they would be looking for. now if murdered babies, i can understand the reaction. if he stole something from scotsdale, yeah i can see it. if the victim happened to be that person looking at the art sure. but it seems a strong reaction.

in any case, a new, unknown artist that just started out, won't be accepted to a gallery unless they discovered him. he will have to work his way up like every other artist out there. he'll need consistent work, that looks good or better than other art.

i mention angst and hate etc, because that would stand out better, when you pour an emotion into it, and having a prison background provides a good back story. but just plain jane stuff, he may not stand out.

he can change his name, nothing wrong with that, plenty of people have especially when writing books. heck the owner of this site used a different name when he first started, so it wouldn't be connected to him if the site went bad. tell him to get an account here, no one will know he was in prison unless he says so.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

In a country where people go to prison for stealing a nail clipper I don't think he has anything to worry about. Especially in the arts which has a very colorful community. Has he tried to get his sentenced reduced? Right now would be a good time. It's inspiring that he continues his work and does not let this break him. That alone speaks volume. Best of luck to your friend.

I had no idea there was such a thing as a "minor felony", I thought when it came to crime there was only felonies and misdemeanors.

I think people's reactions and opinions of him and rather or not they want to buy the work of a convicted felon, really depends on how the crime he committed is viewed by society. If people find out about his crime and it is an easily forgivable offense, it may not matter so much.

I would say it will depend from person to person though. Some may easily overlook his past, while others will not. We really only have control over ourselves. We have no ability to change the minds of others.

It is very confusing, if you don't live the situation. In the state where he is incarcerated, the system is much more strict than in other states. Even the public defender told him that. I've watched the same charge in other states get two years where he got ten. His dream has always been to have his art in a gallery. I was with him once before his arrest when he actually had a gallery owner hang one of his pieces in her gallery just to see how it looked under the lights. You'd thought he was a kid at Christmas. That minute of seeing it on the gallery wall did so much for him. Since his arrest, I've had his pieces shown in prison art exhibitions where some of them actually sold. He told me to keep the money and use it for something I needed. One of the exhibitions had barbed wire on the walls and hung the pictures from the barbed wire. He did NOT like that.
Anyway, I keep waiting for someone to read my profile. Don't get hung up on the words minor felony. I guess I said that to say it wasn't harmed babies, child abuse, murder, assault or anything like that. Nobody was harmed as a result of the charge. I've got the range of responses I was looking for. Thankfully, most of them are positive. I thank you for all of your input.

Are you Danny? Your avatar?

Or are you working with Danny to get his art out?

Dave

Danny,

RE:..."will his time incarcerated have him viewed in a whole different light? "

I ask

"will his time incarcerated have him view everything, in a whole different light?

A sensitive artist put in an insensitive situation can produce valuable results

Very profound, Roger.
David B. I think you figured it out. I'm not Danny. I'm Danny's wife. I'm you could say his agent on the outside. Danny Ashton is the birth name of my incarcerated husband. I'm the wife of the artist I've been talking about. It's his art that you see on the profile. I've worked so hard for him to get his art recognized against the odds of his situation. Now, we just hope and pray after over two months in lockdown amid over 100 positive covid cases all in the same dorm, he'll survive to come home in four years.
Thank you all for your input. He knows things will be different when he's released. Life won't be the same. But, I will tell you. He tells me he has pages and pages of ideas he wants to work on when he gets back to his oils. Thank you for your support. He and I appreciate it. The man on the rock in the profile picture is "Danny." It was taken in 2004, eleven years before his unfortunate incarceration.

every artist wants to be in a gallery, and many simply end up in a vanity gallery. one can't focus on getting into a gallery especially when they are new. its like asking to be on a football team, only playing it for a few weeks.

if the art sold, despite being in a prison, then there is a market for it and some won't mind him being a prisoner. as for a gallery, that will be harder to find, he needs to build a name for himself first, have a consistent body of work. and maybe a gallery where the owner was in prison and can sympathize.

now if that's his work in that account, you'll need to crop them a bit better and brighten some up, they seem dark. you must add tags and descriptions if you want to be seen. you can't crop the words, one of them has a bit of the letter chopped off. same with his name. some of them seem very small, and i'd like to see the details. he seems to have a consistent body of work, but without keywords etc, he will never be discovered here. you would have to peddle the work to galleries. you also seem to have a lot of duplicates.

i looked up the name directly and don't see anywhere where that name comes up with a prison record. so i can't imagine what the gallery found unless they hired a private eye or paid for a service that found that info. i found a few with that name but they said that person was black not white, so i couldn't find anything myself. so i can only assume that the gallery simply didn't want that style or maybe something was fresh in the news.

for now i would make the scans cleaner, fix the crops, don't cut things, don't have borders, keyword is properly, describe each thing, remove duplicates, make sure the image is large enough to print, allow for closeups. and then advertise the work. the only time i see the words prison and your/his name -- is this forum. so you should make this private to remove that connection in google.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

the other thing with a gallery is, i think the artist has to host gala's and that will be hard in prison. and they will ask why your representing him and not himself, they will ask for some kind of back story, i know i would. usually a gallery is a restaurant wall.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Thanks for the advice. Ill work on it this weekend. I sincerely appreciate it. The gallery is just an old dream of his. We know it wont happen. We'll move forward.

I think that if you assume the worst, you are selling yourselves short. There is such a thing as a self fulfilling prophecy.

Take things as they come. Slowly move forward, and work from where you are at this point in time. Things could likely be much better than you are imagining, especially if you maintain a positive outlook.

After release, the best course of action would be to spin the incarceration into part of the artist myth. People love a good redemption story and to flirt with a bit of danger.

Artist myths usually involve some kind of dramatic event that turns their art into some kind of new direction. It could be surviving cancer, getting hit by lightening or making some mistake that ends up with them in jail.

The only thing unrecoverable from is some kind of sex crime.

In Japan, then he would have some problems socially if people knew. Yet, I can't see how people will find out...so sort of strange!

If such a minor reason for him to be in prison - then why so long and strict after leaving prison?

Sorry, it sounds strange (meant with respect).

However, not sure why people need to know when he is released. Therefore, he is best to focus on getting on with his life and doing art - or whatever - and to put the past behind him and learning from his mistakes.

Thankfully, the most important people in his life are waiting for him - and this is all that counts at the end of the day!

I've seen lots of prison art and it always has had a strange funk about it to me. It's usually presented with some sort of agenda about how we are supposed to view the inmates, but often in a significant number of pieces, there is an element of psychopathology that's revealed in the art to someone like me that has some technical background in that as a form of psychological projection. It makes me uneasy. When I've seen it, there isn't much info about the crime or sentence of the inmate, but I never came out of the exhibition feeling like these people were "just normal folks".

I say this as someone who spent a chunk of his professional life visiting prisons, consulting on their hiring practices. Offices in the institution were decorated with paintings, many of which gave me even MORE of a reason to be glad that I got to get back in my car and leave. Believe me, if you've never been "inside", you just don't know.

One the most successful modern artists in the world currently, August 2020, spent 5 years in prison for a violent felony. Also, the music industry has many successful people that have spent time I prison. If you have something that is sellable, marketable and have a good personality, other people are remarkably forgiving.

I do think you need to make this thread private as it is indexed by Google.

Many artists and authors use a different name than their own. My understanding is that in the US so long as you are not committing fraud you can go by any name you choose. You should consult an attorney on that point, but people use different names all the time without legal name changes.

There is no reason to share with anyone what his background is when selling art. It's not a job resume.

I think "Art brut" or "Brutalism art"is the movement that promote art of persons who cure themself of psycho illnes, and prisoner artists, sometimes they use painting as a part of therapy, and sometimes they are true artists, but must offten they are very creative and different than enything else.
Mayby you should try to conect them if there is such movement in your country, or make one if it doesnt exist?

https://folkartmuseum.org/exhibitions/art-brut-in-america-the-spirit-of-jean-dubuffet/

this should definitely be private, because prison and that name are now associated in google.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

I bet a correctional facility would be great for an artist because the time required to learn and grow as an artist would be possible where most of us have a daily set of chores, work habits, and needs of others to take care of. I don't know if he had to buy his materials or not, did he in lock up?

Anyhow, I do believe he would have to work hard to show that he is not justice challenged. Anyone who is arraigned on charges has done something to be judged and many may not see past that. For example, I have a family member that has committed a felony or two and she is very creative, but I will stay away from her due to the fact that she can be manipulating and has many addictions that I refuse to support. So yes, being justice challenged doesn't make you a bad person, but it will affect how others perceive you and they may perceive one as evil or just plain bad.

That doesn't mean that a person can't repair the damage, but certainly they need to change their ways. Violence, rape, drunkeness, raging, abuse and all things associated with bad people are memorable indeed, that may not impact the amazing art, but I bet it would impact their local sales.

Tell or support him in joining fineartameria.com because no one would judge him here.

Hi Lisa, "...a correctional facility would be great for an artist..." - Don't make that bet; I can assure you, that one's time is much accounted for, both scheduled and unscheduled time. Without spending time in the setting, it is impossible to comprehend that 'other-world'. The reality of it can be a shock, to say the least.

That said, some of the most impressioning correctional facilities [the older ones to be sure] exude an 'energy' - not measurable, yet felt by anyone, at any time. Consider this: These walled enclosures are - if nothing else - 'precincts'; and as such they are highly charged. In this case, as a place of incarceration, they are unnerving to say the least! They are places of life and death. Hollywood presents us myths of all sorts but even their exposés fail to enlighten those outside, those 'in the world' as we are referred.

Before one can 'learn' or exercise their creativity, in such a place, they are busy trying to remain in one piece - literally. That is an Art in itself!

"I bet a correctional facility would be great for an artist" - Not likely. I'm guessing that you have never been inside of one. It's about the most toxic place you would ever imagine.

True, I have not been incarcerated.

That said, I hope our prisons can become places of learning and creativity over time.

i'm thinking you watch to much tv, with constant room searches, moving around, people potentially attacking you. painting carefully isn't the place of a prison. maybe a minimal security. i just can't see anyone setting up an art studio and the jailer allowing things like palette knives or brushes that could be made into a weapon. paint that could be used as a poison etc.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

I have no idea if being a felon would help or hurt an artist but I would also vote to make this private as I don't think this discussion would actually be of help.

it won't help them at all. the only association to prison is this thread. i'll vote too.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

There is always pen names. Lots of artists these days create pen names for themselves.

'... i just can't see anyone setting up an art studio and the jailer allowing things...' Mike they actually do; they do it by 'improvising, adapting and overcoming' - sounds like an old commercial. In fact it is as well built into the 'industrial-economic' system that exists in that 'other society, within the society'. Unfortunately knowing about it is not high on the list of acceptable or sophisticated topics - yet we are all effected [and affected] by it as a culture body.

A harsh subject, especially in the meeker world of art that we are seeing it from. Yet it is all part of the bigger picture of things; I hope more people get the opportunity to learn [at a distance] said reality.

Depending on where he is doing his time, most art supplies would not be allowed. Some minimum security prisons may have art therapy classes where tools are given out for use, but have to be given back and accounted for before anyone leaves the room.

It's not only using things for weapons, but allowing things for one means allowing for all. So one inmate may be able to keep his art brushes and tools for his art purposes, while others may not (although they would get to have them if allowed). So they keep the list of what's allowed very short. Anything not on the list is contraband.

And I agree with TDP Arts, it is amazing how inmates adapt to using what they have, especially food. They will make a birthday cake by saving up cookies and the filling from Oreos. They make jailhouse wine by fermenting fruit (contraband tho) everyone works together to save up the fruits they get on their chow trays, so everyone who contributed gets some of the wine, if it isn't found beforehand. It's a society, with smaller societies within.

Amazing Joy - if people only knew!

A small aside - Would you believe, music and fashion both owe a nod of appreciation to the inner world of incarceration. Music by why of the rhyming frenzies that inmates used to repeat information in cryptic form to pass on or memorize. And fashion got baggy-pants hanging well below the waste - which was a rebellious 'fashion-statement' in prison long before some smooth person realized it was cool enough to make millions. All brought to you in the 1970s....

Val Arie is right.
Voted for Private.

The romanticized ideal of prison artists, poets and musicians is mostly a function of movies...the Shawshank Redemption view of jail. About one inmate in 100 does anything like that. Most are scary, violent and barely under control on a good day. It's noisy, hot or cold, unforgiving, controlled, occasionally violent and always full of threat and posturing. Nobody wants to look weak, but when they are in the room with a parole and probation officer, they put on their happy face and talk about how changed they are, in the hope of getting out. Most have been there before and if they get out, they will be back. The single best way to predict who will be in jail during life is whether they have been there before.

If that's a training ground for artists, I'm glad I missed that apprenticeship.

Of course the group can elect to hide the thread... But why can we not face the issue, without worrying how big business and algorithms view everything? Perhaps some honest inquiry is needed --- perhaps.

TPD, the "hiding of the thread" is considered for the protection of the identity of the OP's husband, since it was said by her that he was disregarded by a specific art community. No need for that to continue.

the whole point in hiding the thread is that, well read what the op said. someone looked him up and found out he has a record. no need to make it as easy as possible for them to find him.

----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Chuck, Mike, Given those hints and reasons I can see casting a vote to privatize the thread. But it is a shame that the subject cannot be discussed for the circumstances that are our reality - as well as the inmates, there are countless numbers of working people involved and affected by the situation; not to forget victims and loved ones.

we can discuss it just fine. but there is a limited point of view unless you were in prison and experienced as an artist.

its just the chances of getting into a gallery is hard even if you were never a convict. it really depends on the gallery. for now maybe less picky places like a farm show. some of those have a sort of gallery area. its not really the same, but its something.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

The laborious task of finding a gallery has today become a grim dream. There are many galleries at this time, in fact the number of galleries has probably grown a hundred-times-over, from the 80s-90s. But by the end of that time [call it the millennial year or thereabouts] most of the long time gallery owners had sold or folded-up shop Or died - what replaced them were more 'corporately minded' venues.

More and more independent galleries did come into fashion... But that too is problematic because they tended to reflect the attitudes of the clientele rather than the artists. Artists, recognizing the shifts, banned together forming cooperative galleries; which after a time even became 'vanity' galleries - willing to book a show for a fee, especially that they were strapped with 'Manhattan' rents! [I might laugh if it wasn't so sad]

Galleries today follow the same such course; add that today, more and more, the galleries are 'funded', taxpayer-democratic and somewhat cl-icy. University 'galleries' have become University 'Museums' because there is far more $$$-advantage - But can it be said that the dollars are well spent?

I am a great believer of galleries; but today it is far from the old mythic center-piece that it once was. Two years ago I stopped exhibiting in private galleries...But I am once again itching for one...Who can say?

"its just the chances of getting into a gallery is hard even if you were never a convict. it really depends on the gallery. for now maybe less picky places like a farm show. some of those have a sort of gallery area. its not really the same, but its something. "

I have seen a few times when someone has a show of inmate art, but they seem to be non-profits or government agencies, trying to do something to encourage people in jail who use art as an outlet. Unfortunately, having seen some of that, I doubt that there's a whole lot of commercial potential there. A lot of prison art is strange, due to either the mentality of the inmate or their limited access to seeing anything other than the inside of a jail.

this still isn't private yet. OP you really want to make this private. the longer it sits in google the higher the chance that people will find out he's in prison. don't want that connection.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Even that I have experienced similar circumstances, to those of Doug, my takeaway is somewhat different - even that we would basically agree on many irreconcilable matters presented by the subculture of prisons. Call them what you will, they are an arresting experience, to all that is experienced in our day-to-day.

And as Doug mentions above, there is often a 'strangeness' that permeates much of the imagery - be it a lack of instruction or experience; or something that attaches from psychology, sociology or downright resentment. But that is not the all of it either; 'portraiture', accomplished inside, can rival most from any corner of the art world. Fantasy art of course can get downright 'explicit' but the same is evident on this site.

Then there is graffiti - as an art-form; that more than all other has 'made it' out of the 'funded' galleries and into the mainstream - even to the level of 'blue chip' exhibiting galleries!

The 'experience of doing' has the benefits; and that was no different inside, than we all experience out here... in the world [as they would say].

It seems that Danny's account has been closed down, but for a while his art here still exists.

He certainly has a lot to say, and wonderfully so.



I DO HOPE to see a lot more, in the future

i wonder why it was closed down? there wasn't much wrong with it. though if i recall there was i think some printing issues. still this should be private, though the op can't do it. its really for his own good.


----Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

For whatever reason they closed the site, I for one hope they revisit the thread; if only to know that the work and the artist were both much appreciated.... No other circumstance need apply!!!!!

Perhaps one day we will see and recognize the imagery that had been posted here... Perhaps the account will be another name... Even so, I know some will remember and even say '...hello fella, good to see ya back!'