Portrait by a prisoner at Avery-Mitchell Correctional Center

Since 1998, UNC Asheville has offered college classes at four regional correctional facilities. Inmate students have studied meteorology, psychology, public speaking and art, among other classes. The federally funded program allows inmates to earn college credits and begin building a transcript. To participate, inmates must be 25 years old or younger, within five years of release, have a high school diploma or GED, be able to read at a 10th-grade level, and they must not have committed violent crimes like murder or rape. Some 1,700 inmates have taken classes.

Recently, art instructor Monika Teal taught "Art of Portraiture" at two facilities. Work completed by the students will be on view at UNC Asheville this fall.

"From the Pen and Pencil," featuring 19 portraits by inmate students, will be on view November 18-December 1 at UNC Asheville's Blowers Gallery, located on the main floor of Ramsey Library. An opening reception will be held 2-4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18, in the gallery. The exhibit will move to Ramsey Library's third floor to be on view outside Special Collections December 1-12. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

"Drawing materials were restricted to graphite and charcoal on paper. In spite of these limitations, the exhibit contains works that reflect the students' imagination, intelligence, creativity, love, sadness and humor. And the works define their particular lives and circumstances," said Teal, UNC Asheville adjunct art instructor.

Blowers Gallery, located on the main floor of UNC Asheville's Ramsey Library, is open Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. The library and gallery will close at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, and will be closed November 27-29. For more information, call 828/251-6546.