A new exhibition, “Still We Rise: Art Behind the Walls,” is set to open Thursday at Fort Frederik Museum on St. Croix, offering the community a rare glimpse into the humanity, creativity, and healing happening behind prison walls.
Presented by the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources Division of Libraries, Archives, and Museums, the exhibit features original works created by incarcerated men and women at the John A. Bell Correctional Facility.
The pieces were developed through a volunteer-led program that initially set out to address literacy and math skills among inmates. What started as reading lessons quickly evolved into something more.
“About two years ago, a retired teacher and I decided we wanted to do volunteer work in the prison,” said organizer Mary Mingus. “We thought there was a strong connection between illiteracy and crime, so we went in planning to focus on reading.”
That plan shifted after art was introduced into the classroom.
Volunteers now visit the facility twice a week, combining literacy and math instruction with creative sessions twice a month. What they uncovered was unexpected. There was a deep well of untapped artistic talent.
Participants began working with calabash gourds, a culturally significant Caribbean material, transforming them into bird feeders, bowls and ornaments. The exhibit will showcase both the raw gourds and the finished pieces so visitors can see the full transformation.
“They’ve created unbelievable objects of art,” Mingus said. “Some of them had never done anything creative in their lives. To see the joy when they realize what they’re capable of, you can’t even put it into words.”
Beyond the artwork, organizers say the program has become a meaningful rehabilitative initiative that encourages creative expression, skill development and personal reflection.
“Beyond artistic expression, the program offers participants a renewed sense of purpose, dignity, and hope,” Mingus said.
Organizers say the experience has also changed them.
“I never imagined I would receive so much from this,” she said. “It’s been an honor. We are met with respect and gratitude every time. Our classroom has become like a little family.”
The exhibit aims to challenge public perceptions of incarceration by encouraging viewers to look beyond criminal records and see the individual.
“Nobody should be defined by the worst thing they have ever done,” she said. “People are so much more than that.”
Each piece tells a story not just of creativity, but of resilience, courage and healing. For some participants, even picking up a paintbrush for the first time marked a turning point.
“These are people on a healing journey,” Mingus added. “And this art is helping them get there.”
Organizers hope visitors leave with a deeper understanding of what it means to be incarcerated. Not just someone behind bars, but someone capable of growth and transformation.
“Still We Rise: Art Behind the Walls” opens with a reception Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Fort Frederik Museum. The exhibition will be on display Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and free for students under 18.
