Envelope drawings are among the most readily accessible genre of drawing in many US prisons. “The Pencil Is a Key: Drawings by Incarcerated Artists,” on view through January 5, includes a large selection of these envelope drawings, which provide many inmates the opportunity to produce artwork intended for audiences both inside and outside prison walls. . The compositional intricacy, imaginative narrative, and graphic sophistication of envelope drawings have served as opportunities for self-expression, and for practical purposes such as trades, sales, and bartering. The drawings are also made for loved ones, sending personalized compositions and visual messages to their communities on the outside. . “The Pencil Is a Key: Drawings by Incarcerated Artists” is on view in our Main Gallery and Drawing Room until January 5, 2020. Throughout the run of the exhibition, admission to The Drawing Center will be FREE (Wed - Sun, 12pm - 6pm | Thurs, 12pm - 8pm)⁣ . Images: Carlos Conde,”Puro Amor, Mi...