New documentary explores art therapy in state prisons

“Blank Canvas” is a new documentary about reimagining correctional institutions with a focus on bringing art therapy inside Arizona state prisons and helping incarcerated people heal from the trauma that led them down a path of destructive behaviors.

The short documentary offers an exclusive look inside the infamous Lumley Unit at Arizona State Prison Complex Perryville. Lumley is where some of the worst offenders are serving time.

Dr. Ryan Thornell, Director at Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR), and Brandon Lee, Founder and Executive Producer of “Blank Canvas,” both joined “Arizona Horizon” to talk about how Art Of Our Soul is helping prison reform.

“We know programming is really the way to improve people’s behavior and to improve outcomes, especially out in the community,” Dr. Thornell said. “But a lot of what we’re trying here in Arizona is adapting things to the Arizona system. Arizona system’s is different than many other states, so we take what we know and we figure out how we adapt to here, and one example of that is the Art Of Our Soul partnership.”

Lee talked about the role art and music therapy plays in rehabilitating those who are incarcerated.

“When you experience childhood trauma, your brain at that time is rewired,” Lee said. “If that goes unhealed, you begin to make some terrible life choices as an adult, sometimes even destructive. So if you understand the majority of people who are incarcerated are there because of the trauma that they’ve experienced, whether it’s childhood trauma, childhood attachment trauma or environmental trauma, then it’s our responsibility while they’re incarcerated and in the state’s care to rehabilitate them.”

Lee added, “Art and music therapy is proven, as a proven modality, in the way that we do it is to rewire and create new neuropathways, create new thought patterns.”

Watch “Blank Canvas” online on YouTube.