The Prison Portraits
A prisoner sketches hundreds of his fellow inmates to make a statement about crime and punishment in America.
by Maurice ChammahIllustrations by Mark Loughney
Oct 04, 2018
3 minutes
Before he went to prison, Mark Loughney used watercolors and acrylics to create bright, playful portraits of his favorite musicians. His early work features Trey Anastasio and Grace Potter and Snoop Dogg, all smiling and content, deep into their guitars and joints. But then Loughney himself took a dark turn, committing a crime that even now, years later, he can barely explain.
In 2012, when he was 35 and struggling to make it as an artist, Loughney got into a fight
You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.
Start your free 30 days