As an African-American artist in Portland, Oregon, Jerome Sloan began spray painting in Northeast Portland in the 1980’s. Jerome has now been a practicing artist for more than 20 years. The birth of the idea that he could one day be an artist began at Irvington Grade School.

Jerome has just returned after being away for 28 years. Last year, Governor Brown granted him clemency and he was released from prison in May 2022. During those 28 years, he organized cognitive programs, drew and painted artworks to sell, and painted murals on the interior of the prison walls. Jerome has sold work through exhibits, such as Gallery 114’s show Human Beings. Much of this work was created using colored pencils, blue ballpoint pen, coffee, and orange juice.

While he was incarcerated, the prison hired Jerome to create 12 large murals on cinder block walls in the hallways.  He came up with the conceptual meaning, designed the artwork, translated the art to scale, led a crew of other prisoners, and painted alongside them.

Much of Jerome’s work deals with change and transformation, from growing up as a weird kid in Northeast, to gang violence in the 80s, to him becoming a negative gang member, to him transforming his life again while in prison. Now that he is free, Jerome wants his life to continue to be a part of positive change. Using elements of realism, as well as abstract patterns and shapes, he creates art to inspire hope.