(CBS) — Art is bringing joy and fulfillment to men in the most unexpected place: Division 11 of the Cook County Jail.
It’s Positively Chicago, CBS 2’s Brad Edwards reports.
READ MORE: Off-Duty CPD Officer Shot At 89th And Stony Island; Search On For AssailantItalian-born chef Bruno Abate previously helped set up a pizzeria in the jail, as a way to give inmates job skills.
Next step has been a painting program.
Among the inmates getting a chance to explore their art is Lehi Lopez.
“I’m not in jail when I’m actually painting,” he says.
READ MORE: Pullman Community Center Giving Out 1,000 Vaccines Tuesday; Here's Who's EligibleJustin Lamerdin has previous convictions for burglary.
He’s proven to be not the best thief, but a heck of an artist.
The jail program is called Recipe for Change and it’s completely self-funded.
Chef Abate, who employs several of the inmates who are now out, is looking for donors to help launch the music program in early 2018.
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