California San Quentin State Prison Death Row Art Book

By Martin Drews

San Quentin State Prison Death Row Art Book gives an inside view through art and images by prisoners awaiting execution at San Quentin State Prison (death row). The body of work was generated by three death row prisoners and will show the general public art and images that are rarely seen before now. These prisoners who are awaiting execution open their minds, and you'll see how some of these prisoners express some of their innermost thoughts through their art. These images are meant to give the general public a different perspective about death row prisoners. Here you will see their humanity reflected and depicted through images. You'll see not only their twisted evil side, but also, you'll see their pain, regret, despair, sadness, and even some joy; and in some cases, you'll see their hopefulness come through in some of their art. The social impact of seeing art and images drawn by prisoners who are awaiting execution is a powerful and profound thing, which could prove to be useful in a number of disciplines dealing with human behavior.

Here the author-artist provides a unique perspective in that not only is he on death row, awaiting execution at San Quentin State Prison, but Martin Drews has direct contact with other artists on death row willing to provide artwork to be used in an art book generated by him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887933740

Book preview

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California San Quentin State Prison Death Row Art Book

Martin Drews

Copyright © 2023 Martin Drews

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2023

ISBN 979-8-88793-365-8 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-88793-374-0 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

About the Author

Martin Dexter Drews arrived at San Quentin State Prison (death row) on July 10, 2007, where he was placed in the Adjustment Center (also known as the AC Hole) for a ninety-day observation and orientation.

This was a status where the prison administration would review and provide Martin Drews with the rules and procedures governing San Quentin's death row. The California Department of Corrections has determined that San Quentin's death row falls under specialized housing division, specifically for Operational Procedure OP608. The OP608 specifically lays out the mission statement for condemned prisoners. While on San Quentin State Prison's death row, the administration is to observe, review, and classify all new arrivals while affording them an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the day-to-day conditions and program expectations while awaiting execution by lethal injection. Just saying such words gave him pause. State sanctioned human executions. The words seems to roll off the tongue as if it was normal day-to-day conversation. Perhaps a byproduct of doing decades in such harsh conditions with limited resources. What was to be a ninety-day observation turned into eleven-plus years in isolation in the Adjustment Center through mostly no fault of his own. It was clear