Big congratulations to artist @GaryTylerStudio for being selected as one of the 2026 Galaxy Leader Fellows (@galaxy_gives )! 🌟👏
The Galaxy Leader Fellowship program supports directly impacted grassroots organizers, executive directors, lawyers, advocates, artists, and others who have dedicated their lives to ending our nation’s criminal justice system. It considers the entirety of the person’s contribution to the field, providing both a deeper and wider range of support for leaders working to end mass incarceration.
The two-year fellowship gives these leaders the opportunity to delve into their work, deepen their skills and connections, and maximize their impact.
Delighted to see Gary Tyler celebrated for his powerful memoir of resilience, friendship, art and solidarity in Angola prison. Thank you to In the Margins for selecting STITCHING FREEDOM as a Top Social Justice Advocacy Title.
In @GaryTylerStudio ’s work, the butterfly is a strong, recurring motif, symbolizing his life's transformation, along with flowers and brightly-colored abstractions. Metaphorically, Tyler sees himself as a pollinator, spreading his message and in his continuous efforts of supporting the growth of others through his art. The colorful nature of the composition and texture of the material mimics the fantastic physical qualities of the creature.
Learn more about the artist at the link in bio.
Artwork Details: Gary Tyler, While Beauty Evolves, 2024. Quilting Fabric, Thread, and Batting. 48 x 42 inches
Tomorrow is the last day to catch Gary Tyler’s solo exhibition, “Illuminations from a Captured Soul” at @officialwelcomelosangeles in LA.
The title of Tyler’s show speaks to the deep purpose of his work — Illuminations from a Captured Soul refers to the light of truth he shines on the impacts of the American carceral system and racial injustice; the light of respect and dignity he shines on the participants in the Angola Prison Drama Club; and the light of spirit and resilience that emanates from his art.
#garytylerstudio #officialwelcomelosangeles #textile
In 1975, 17-year-old Gary Tyler was sent to Angola to die. Wrongfully convicted of killing a white teenager by an all-white jury, he became the youngest prisoner on death row in the U.S. After more than four decades, Gary finally came home in 2016.
During those years, Gary transformed his experience into a legacy of mentorship, creativity, and service leading the Drama Club, actively participating in the Angola Special Civics Project, hospice program and Toastmasters, and honing his craft as a master quilter.
On Tuesday night, Gary’s memoir, “Stitching Freedom,” celebrated a @baldwinandcompany book launch at Dillard University with the people who know his story best. His brothers from Angola, Calvin Duncan and Norris Henderson, joined him for an intimate conversation moderated by VOTE Board member Professor Andrea Armstrong. Together, they reflected on survival, chosen family, and decades-long fights for a freedom they were denied as teenagers.
Make sure to get your copy of “Stitching Freedom,” our next book club read.
TWO DAYS AWAY 📚✨
Join us alongside our partners at @booksandbooks and @onesignalpub at the museum this Sunday for an unforgettable afternoon with artist, author, and social activist @garytylerstudio as we celebrate the release of his powerful memoir, Stitching Freedom: A True Story of Injustice, Defiance, and Hope in Angola Prison.
At just 17 years old, Gary Tyler became the youngest person on death row in the United States—wrongfully convicted by an all-white jury in 1975. He spent over four decades in Angola prison before his release in 2016, yet he was never exonerated. His story is one of unimaginable injustice, but also extraordinary strength, artistry, and resilience.
Gary will be in conversation with our Museum Director, Terrance Cribbs-Lorrant, sharing how he transformed pain into purpose, found hope where none existed, and honored the mentors who helped shape his journey behind bars.
Don’t miss this meaningful and heartfelt opportunity to hear a story that continues to inspire movements for justice nationwide. Register now via the link in our bio!
Join @BooksandBooks at the Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum (@historicalblackprecinct ) for a discussion of Gary Tyler’s memoir Stitching Freedom on December 7th at 1:30pm.
Tyler will be in conversation with museum director Terrence Cribbs-Lorrant, to talk about how he not only survived, but triumphed over this injustice. He will pay tribute to other incarcerated individuals who became his guardians and mentors and talk about discovering himself as an artist.
Books and Books will be giving away a signed copy of the memoir. To enter, RSVP to the December 7th program! The winner will be announced on 12/2.
Learn more at the link in bio!
Photo by @robin.fong
We are excited to welcome Gary Tyler to the S&S Speakers Bureau!
Gary Tyler is an artist, author, and spokesperson for justice. Tyler’s memoir, Stitching Freedom, details the 42 years he endured in prison after being wrongly convicted of murder and placed on death row at Angola State Penitentiary when he was sixteen.
In his keynotes, Tyler speaks about his time in Angola Prison, the injustices that led him there, and how he not only survived, but triumphed.
50 years ago today, Gary Tyler was sentenced to die for a crime he didn’t commit. Today, he tells his story in STITCHING FREEDOM, his new memoir. Order your copy today!
@GaryTylerStudio holding his memoir 𝑺𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒐𝒎.
In the tradition of Angela Davis and Albert Woodfox, 𝑺𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒐𝒎 exposes the deep roots of systemic racism and injustice in America’s legal system while celebrating the humanity that endures within it. More than a story of wrongful conviction, it’s a testament to how incarcerated people care for one another, organize, and fight for justice. With unflinching honesty and profound grace, Gary Tyler reclaims his voice — and his freedom.
📖 Purchase a copy at the link in bio!
#GaryTyler #GaryTylerStudio #StitchingFreedom
Photo by @Robin.fong
Gary Tyler’s first solo exhibition in Los Angeles “Illuminations from a Captured Soul” opens this evening from 5–8 PM at @officialwelcomelosangeles in LA.
The title of Tyler’s show speaks to the deep purpose of his work — Illuminations from a Captured Soul refers to the light of truth he shines on the impacts of the American carceral system and racial injustice; the light of respect and dignity he shines on the participants in the Angola Prison Drama Club; and the light of spirit and resilience that emanates from his art.
📍 Official Welcome, 672 S Lafayette Park Pl, Set 46, Los Angeles, CA 90057
🗓️ Saturday, November 1, 2025 | 5–8 PM
#garytylerstudio #officialwelcomelosangeles #textile #exhibitionopening #soloshow
Gary Tyler is an artist living and working in Los Angeles. At the age of 16, he was wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Though his case drew international outcry, Tyler spent more than 4 decades incarcerated at Angola State Penitentiary in Louisiana before his release at age 57.
Official Welcome and Ollin Editions are delighted to release a new collaborative print edition with Gary. ‘Defiant, 1976’ (2023-2025), revisits a self-portrait of Tyler as a young man; handcuffed and mistreated, but resolutely defiant.
✨ Prints are now available for sale through Official Welcome’s website, with 100% of proceeds from sales going directly to the artist.
The launch of this print edition coincides with Tyler’s first Los Angeles solo exhibition, ‘Illuminations from a Captured Soul’, at Official Welcome, opening on November 1, 5-8pm.
We are grateful to the Center for Art and Advocacy, and The Hearthland Foundation for their generosity in making this project possible.
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@garytylerstudio@officialwelcomelosangeles@ollineditions@centerforartandadvocacy@librarystreetcollective
📸 artwork photography: Evan Bedford
#garytyler #printmaking #silkscreenprinting #collectprints
