The second exhibition in this series, "The Hallway", was done in collaboration with Dennis Crookes. Amy and Dennis began planning this project at San Quentin and continued the project outside after Dennis was released from prison. Spaces From Yesterday: The Hallway is a recreation of the hallway from Dennis’ childhood home. Dennis and his sisters used to meet up in the hallway to play chess, checkers and go-fish after their mother was asleep. The hallway was illuminated by a lone night-light emanating from the bathroom at the end of the hall. The painting and the installation were planned simultaneously - the painting was drawn from memory and the installation was designed based on Dennis's stories and descriptions.
About Dennis:
Dennis Crookes is an artist that primarily works with acrylic and oil paint. Although originally a self-taught artist, he has taken classes under the direction of art teachers at San Quentin State Prison for four years. He has had his artwork displayed in over 20 galleries across California. Including Yerba Buena Center of the Arts’ Bay Area Now 2014, Tides Thoreau Center for Sustainability in 2015, the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History in 2014, The Compound Gallery in 2014, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art in 2015, Alcatraz in 2013, and the San Francisco Library in 2013. In 2014, Dennis won an award for one of his linocuts, "Finding Out". He was a presenter at Open Engagement 2016 at the Oakland Museum of California. Dennis continues to paint and create and he resides in Los Angeles.