♪♪ Hi.

My name is George.

And this is how art changed me.

I wouldn't know what my life would have been like if I wasn't exposed to art.

I grew up in the projects.

We didn't have much coming in, so I had to go out and work little odd jobs since I was growing -- selling newspapers and stuff like that to help my family... until things start getting harsh.

Then I went strictly into the streets, selling drugs, getting arrested, and stuff like that.

And it led me being incarcerated since I was 14.

I was in prison for like 10, 11 years.

Really thought I was really gonna really die in there, the way I was going, just, like, if somebody would have come up, slice my neck, stab me in the back.

So I really didn't -- I didn't really care no more.

I didn't know I was gonna come out.

When I was in prison, I used to make greeting cards, birthday cards for kids for guys in the prison.

I was making collages.

I mean, I could take stuff and just build, out of toilet tissue, I mean, anything that -- paper clips, anything I could form into something that would really catch somebody's attention, until I ran into RTA, Rehabilitation Through the Arts, in 2014, when they came to Sing Sing.

I heard about the program.

They was doing a lot of acting onstage for us, for the guys in prison and stuff like that.

And I said, "Well, you know, that's something I would like to get into."

There was a waiting list for like three years.

My waiting list was, like, for three years.

I didn't get myself into no trouble because I wanted to get into this program.

And my three years came up, and I got myself into the art program.

If I were never exposed to the art program, I believe I would still be in jail.

The reason why I say that -- that the art program gave me a time to come out my cell, to go into a room for four hours to paint.

And them four hours that I was in there, I was free.

And that life right there, them four hours, was the most beautiful thing in my life.

Them hopes and dreams came to my life.

This is my future now.

I have light at the end of the tunnel.

Now I have light in my area now.

I have sunshine.

I hear birds.

You know, I see clouds and figures and shapes and shades that is making me put a smile on my face when I take the paint brush and just -- just start going with colored pencil or marker.

Now my hopes and dreams, as I'm putting it down on my paper now, my dreams, my hope one day I will be free... hope one day I'll be home paying taxes, I'll be with society, amongst people.

I completed that program, and, actually, I graduated from that program.

They gave me -- I actually have -- I got a blue suit from that program.

I never graduated for nothing in my life since I was a little kid.

Never wore a blue suit before for a graduation, until I got into that program.

You know, I shed tears when I got -- had a cap and gown on, meaning that my life is moving forward.

I'm starting to complete a lot of things in my life which I never completed.

♪♪ And look at me now, amongst the people.

I'm paying taxes now.

My hopes and dreams became reality now.

And it was wonderful.

Art is amazing.

♪♪ ♪♪