

Walking paths wind through low-hanging trees leading to one of the three buildings Fort Worth ceramic artist Pam Summers calls home. She lives on a 2.5-acre oasis near Eagle Mountain Lake on a bluff overlooking the Fort Worth Nature Center.
Summers describes her home, garden, gallery and studios as "nirvana." And last fall, she and her husband, Raymond Rains, had 10 ex-offenders work in their private studio, a peaceful experience they aren't used to, for two months on a ceramic tile mural that will decorate I-30 in Grand Prairie.
Summers is known for her vibrant, kaleidoscope-like ceramics. Her color and patterns are heavily influenced by her three years spent studying ceramics at an art school in South Africa shortly after she graduated high school. She has already created several murals in Fort Worth - one in Overton Park and two for Streams & Valley's, Inc., located at the White Settlement Trailhead and in Trinity Park near the duck pond.
But she glows when talking about her recent work with ex-offenders.
"I don't think I can express how life-changing this was for me. I am so proud. I think that is the biggest feeling I have. I take so much pride in all of our participants," Summers said.
Summers took the ex-offenders to the famous museum trifecta in Fort Worth - the Kimbell, The Modern and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Only one out of 10 of the ex-offenders had been to a museum before, and that was the Palace of Wax and Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum.
"It was so emotional on so many levels to take these people to a museum," Grand Prairie Special Projects Manager Tammy Chan said. She said some of the museum docents were scared at first.
"What they ended up finding were lovely people who just wanted a second chance," Chan said.
Chan organized this re-entry program, originally called the Weed and Seed Job Training Program, in an attempt to address high recidivism rates (the rate ex-offenders return to prison), unemployment issues and to beautify the area all at once.
One of the ex-offenders in the program, Michelle Tilley, said she never thought she would get to see famous pieces of art like the ones she had read about in textbooks displayed at the museums she visited. The program changed her confidence and taught her a few things about humanity. She thanks Summers for that.
"It feels great and helps me build a lot of self-esteem. People do give you a chance and do care about you. It grows my self-esteem. Now I know I can do anything," Tilley said.
She never thought someone would trust her with her criminal record, which is seven years for assault, theft, drugs and prostitution. The way "Ms. Pam" treated her with compassion and kindness gave her confidence that she said she never had before. At 49 years old, she's spent her life thinking she was worthless.
After working with Summers, Tilley applied to a factory job at Frito Lay by herself. She never thought she'd get the job, but she thought at least she could try.
"I was sick of using my background as an excuse," Tilley said. "It is hard for us to get jobs because people don't want to give us a chance."
Summers and Rains wrote her letters of recommendation. She got the job.
Summers said she made it a point to never treat them like criminals but always as students. And watching them work as hard as they did inspired her. Their stories of overcoming a wretched past changed her. Summers couldn't believe what they had been through.
"Their stories brought me to tears at times," Summers said. "I will never look at the people who are out there picking up litter in yellow vests the same way."