An exhibition of artwork created by youth in the Texas Youth Commission will open Wednesday, Feb. 2, in the South Gallery of the Capitol Extension. Sponsored by Rep. Ruth McClendon of San Antonio, “Youth Art at the Capitol” will feature the artwork and trade crafts of more than 30 students from TYC secure facilities, halfway houses, parole and contract care programs.
All exhibit pieces are created by youth ages 10 to 18 who have been committed to TYC for a felony offense. These youth often come from chaotic home environments and need specialized treatment for chemical dependencies and mental health challenges. They are typically years behind their peers in math and reading and most qualify for special education services.
Despite their obstacles and past poor choices, creativity is one avenue where many of these youth can find success and self esteem. Art and craftsmanship opportunities throughout TYC facilities complement the agency’s comprehensive treatment programs, which include education and vocational training, and provide useful therapy for youth learning how to express themselves.
“Youth Art at the Capitol” will run from Feb. 2-7 and be available for viewing during normal Capitol visiting hours.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
TYC youth art at the capitol
Via press release from the Texas Youth Commission:
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15 comments:
Any paintings of Jesus?
Scott, you asked for the link in the comptrollers budget about inmates on food stamps.
http://www.window.state.tx.us/tpr/tprgg/psc12ggs.txt
Well, that is very good. Art is definitely a wonderful way for young people to express their creative talents. Even very behaviorally dysfunctional kids can be artistic in a positive fashion. There is within TYC a group of staff who really do believe in and focus on the virtues many of the TYC boys and girls possess. They represent the faction of pro-change and pro-rehabilitation. They try to put a personal face on otherwise annonymous carricatures of the TYC kids. This is also great PR for what the kids can do on a positive note. Regrettably this type of thing hasn't occured often enough in the past, and now it seems it may be a day late and a dollar short - at least for the agency. Hopefully the display of art will be viewed and touch the right minds and hearts of those legislative leaders and advocates who must come together and decide the future of Juvenile Corrections. Let us Pray! JTP
I'd rather they be doing math or even music. Art therapy always sounds over-rated.
Art is nice and it makes TYC look good but there is not any kind of art therapy at TYC...As an aside I was at Giddings the other day for Family Day (which is held in the chapel). The kids painted murals on the chapel walls and one clearly says in huge letters "God said let there be life!" Last time I checked this isn't the saying....
How cool that the children get to show off their art work for their state momma’s and daddy’s in the legislature. I wonder if the kids know they are being exploited? I made a foot stool in upholstery shop in 1975 and I still have it in my office today. The vocation shop was set up in one of the Old Live Oak dorms. Dr Bush shows the back of it in a pic labeled Dusky hall in his TYC history book. The cages for black lockup were in this building similar to ones at Hilltop for the White and Spanish boys lockup. The shackles were still hanging in them where they would shackle the boys while they whipped them. It was a gruesome site and was eventually sealed off while I was there. The skills I learned in TYC vocational upholstery shop, specifically reupholstering bench truck seats, has served me well today in my restoration efforts on an old pickup truck. It’s funny to ride by there now an see window units hanging out of those old buildings. Christina Crain uses it as an admin building and the once pristine grounds have really gone to hell. I wonder if they still have the shackles and cages up there?
Sheldon tyc#47333 II c/s
Sheldon, I usually find your comments amusing and sometimes useful. Really though, exploited? come on. i am sure you will have some dismissive comment but not everything about TYC is abusive or exploitative.
I thought Sheldon said that he wasnt going to post anymore.
How short lived the peace!!!
He said he was not going to bash TYC employees. Said he felt empathetic towards us. A TYC kid feeling empathy, now theres a new one. So far he seems a man of his word. He gave TYC credit for teaching him some useful skills. He also said the grounds were kept up better when TYC had the facility compared to now under TDCJ control. And come on we are exploiting those kids, it’s what we do. That art show is about saying look at what we can get the kids to do. Most of the art these kids do is to dirty to be shown in a porn gallery. At least we don’t shackle them and beat them anymore.
Let's hope they don't start painting their own anatomy on the walls. The youth are already rampantly engaging in exposing themselves to teachers and female JCOs. It used to be just an occasional thing. But, now since they have figured out the OIG won't do anything about it, it's become a multiple daily occurrence.
I always get amazed at the "art" done with spray paint on the sides of rail cars as they pass by.
I'm sure there are many talented artist in TYC, both art and music.
The issues are still very much the issues!
Huge overhead in Austin, poorly timed greed grab by the upper management within that select group and an even bigger disconnect between the "Austin Club" and the JDO's who work with the kids daily!
2:42am stated they should be doing math instead of art...the math problem is in central office!
But now others are working on it!
$159,999.96....is dang near $160,000.00! If thats the going rate now days for top spots, ok!
But there still needs to be a change, from top to bottom.
913: We don't shackle and beat them anymore? What world do you live in?
There has to be more constructive ways to deal with TYC issues than to constantly bash Sheldon, which only serves to reinforce his already low opinion of some of you, or automatically assume that all these kids are stark raving homicidal lunatics totally out of control of themselves. They are humans. They have made horrible mistakes for various reasons and they need help, constructive criticism without the venom some of you seem to have for these kids in it, and intense psychological treatment. In all this bitching about politics and money, and those are important issues too, but in all this bitching every one seems to forget these are still kids and they will all get out of jail one day. They are your future too. Help or shut up. Please. As a mother who loves one of these kids dearly in spite of what he did I can tell you they all need help and the families could use a little less crap like some of this in their lives. Try to remember god gave most of us the ability to empathize. Try it.
If this seems bitchy of me. Oh well. Tomorrow marks four years I have personally dealt with all of these issues intimately every single waking moment of my life...one I never asked to have btw. If I can refrain from name calling and shit talking you can too.
Glad all of you are at least interested in these issues thought. More people should be.
The criminal suckers continue to play the suckees. TYC suckees.
The last thing TYC needs now is a change at the top. There have been four top administrators in the past four years. Maybe a couple of the senior management staff are in over there heads and some regional staff are a waste of time and space but don't ax the top.
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