Studio Gallery is open to the public Wednesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays from 1pm to 6pm and on Saturdays from 11am to 6pm. Masks are recommended but optional. To schedule a guided visit, please contact director@studiogallerydc.com or call (202) 232-8734.

Beauty Behind Bars:
The Transformative Power of Art in Confinement

An Outreach Exhibit

Featuring visual art and poetry by Clients of the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS)
Sponsored by PDS and Returning Citizens Assistance Network (RCAN)

Fernard Strowbridge · Arlis Hicks-Bey · Curtis Dickson
David Watkins · Harry Ellis · Keith Starr · LaVander Williams · Mark Johnson · Melvin Jones · Richard Johnson · Preston Logan · Ernest Heath · Anokhi Shah · William Hurwitz · Greg Bolden · 

Curated by Anokhi Shah & LaVander Williams

January 2nd - January 25th, 2025

Beauty Behind Bars: The Transformative Power of Art in Confinement presents a collection of evocative, poignant and beautiful pieces created by incarcerated artists, each a powerful meditation on resilience, hope, and the human capacity for change. This groundbreaking exhibit allows audiences to see beyond prison walls into artists’ lives, shaped by reflection and the quest for connection through their enduring creativity. Curated by a formerly incarcerated artist and a public defender, this exhibit strives to affirm the humanity of incarcerated artists and demonstrate art’s profound and curative roles in the lives of people who have lost their freedom. Each piece challenges stereotypes and the all too unforgiving narratives about incarcerated persons. They bear witness to the transformative and redemptive power of art, even in the most inhumane of conditions.

To donate to this effort click here. Select Dropdown Option 5 “RCAN Returning Citizens Contribution”. Enter payment information. In the comments, write Beauty Behind Bars. You must write this to ensure that your money goes to the artist’s commissary.

In the Lower Gallery

In the Making: A Spectrum of Student Creativity

An Outreach Exhibit

Curated by Gia Harewood

January 2nd - January 25th, 2025

Studio Gallery is proud to present recent works by students from middle schools, high schools, and universities across the DC metro area. Rather than organizing around a single theme, this exhibition, curated by Gia Harewood, offers a glimpse into the unique vision and creativity of these emerging artists.