A St. Louis musician and visual artist is taking his expertise to a Bonne Terre prison as part of a new artist in residence program.
Stan Chisholm, who performs as 18andCounting, will be St. Louis University Prison Education Program’s first artist in residence at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center. The program aims to develop detainees’ artistic skills and provide opportunities for inmates to showcase their work.
During the yearlong residency, Chisholm will lead open studio sessions and help detainees hone in on their skills.
“There’s a lot of different angles that people are approaching the open studios with and that’s the whole point,” Chisholm said. “[They are] a kind of a conversation pit, an experimental session for trying out new tools, just time to be with serious artists.
“Everyone deserves to have some way to express themselves, everyone needs a way to express themselves, and these are some of the folks who have the smallest of opportunities to do so,” he added.
The program will culminate with a mural project inside the detention center. Chisholm said details for that project are still sparse.
Detainees and staff who work at the prison can earn associate of arts degrees through SLU’s prison education program. About 32 incarcerated people have graduated since SLU launched the program 15 years ago. The university also offers a college preparatory program to help detainees and people recently released from prison adjust to school.
Prison education program leaders hope to add a bachelor of arts degree in fall 2026. They said the program has been instrumental in improving detainees’ self-esteem, and program manager Mary Reising said the benefit stretches beyond the enrolled students.
“To hear our students talking about helping their kids with their homework or supporting a child who’s starting college themselves out in the world is just a really powerful part of our program. That means the most to me,” Reising said.
The university’s arts and education program has long provided classes and activities for students and other detainees. Chisholm has previously led workshops at the prison, and the residency program was created with Chisholm in mind, said Devin Johnston, SLU prison education program arts coordinator.
“There are a lot of people who spend their time drawing and painting there,” Johnston said. “They can come by and talk with him and draw on his expertise and make use of our supplies. It’s a really open, relaxed opportunity for them.”
Chisholm hopes to add gallery showings featuring the detainees’ works down the line.
The classes aren’t only about guiding students how to further develop artistic skills but to prepare them for the future and reentry. Chisholm said he hopes his classes help artists learn how they can develop a career from their work.
“I love that I can’t keep that to myself,” Chisholm said. “Just being able to share that with equally dedicated, passionate people about their craft is just amazing.”
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