Artists: Jayme Santini, Designed by Tyra Patterson
Time Saved vs. Time Served, 2019
Acrylic

Time Saved vs. Time Served features five women, all of whom are formerly incarcerated, who work in the social justice field, helping other women who have also experienced incarceration. This piece was commissioned for a mural by ArtWorks of Cincinnati and can be seen at 

When people look at stories of redemption after incarceration, it’s almost always the face of a man depicted. The micro stories of what happens to individual women who are incarcerated are often ignored and the macro societal impacts of women who are incarcerated go untold. An overwhelming majority of women entering prison have a history of sexual abuse, drug abuse and intimate partner abuse. Most women entering prison are mothers. Tyra knew the focus of the mural needed to be on women. 

Tyra looked to a woman with whom she served time, who was still incarcerated at the time, to play a major role in the mural project. Tyra’s rationale was to rewrite the narrative that says you can’t employ someone in a non-institutional job while they are in prison. She hired Jayme Santini, an amazing artist who has been in prison for over 25 years, to join the team as Lead Artist.

To learn more, visit https://www.1001colors.org/discover/public-art-gallery/time-saved-vs-time-served
Or visit 235 W. Court Street, Cincinnati, OH 45242 to see the piece in person.

Sheila Donaldson Johnson 
DeAnna Hoskins 
Tracy Brumfield 
Belinda Coulter-Davis