Antonino Leobardo interviewed by Tomasz Szeliga
Tomasz Szeliga (00:00): Alright, my name is Tomasz Szeliga, and I'm here at Groveland Correctional Facility on April 22nd, 2024, to interview Leobardo, who's also an inmate here with me. How you doing, by the way?
Antonino Leobardo (00:16): Good, thank you. Thank you for asking.
Tomasz Szeliga (00:18): Now, could you introduce yourself for, to everyone?
Antonino Leobardo (00:21): Sure, yes. Uh, my name's, uh, Leobardo. I'm here in, uh, Groveland Correctional Facility.
Tomasz Szeliga (00:29): Now, and, uh, tell me, why did you choose this class? What made you choose this class?
Antonino Leobardo (00:36): Uh, well, when see, this, um, somebody talked to me about drawing before, uh, he sent me here. The, uh, the guy... I forgot the guy. He, um, he was, his name.
Tomasz Szeliga (00:50): Mm-hmm.
Antonino Leobardo (00:51): He teaching here and, uh, he says show drawing, uh, making of the- the best my drawing. Because I'm trying to drawing right now, but that's not the best I have, so I like it, uh, I like it. Make it all the best I can do.
Tomasz Szeliga (01:07): So you want to improve?
Antonino Leobardo (01:08): Yeah, I want to improve. Yes.
Tomasz Szeliga (01:09): Yeah. And, uh, you've enjoyed it so far?
Antonino Leobardo (01:11): Yes, yes. Mm-hmm.
Tomasz Szeliga (01:12): All right. Now, to, I would like you to, yes, I would like you to tell us, um, what did you learn from this class so far?
Antonino Leobardo (01:22): Uh, I was, like, three, two months ago, two months.
Tomasz Szeliga (01:27): Mm-hmm.
Antonino Leobardo (01:27): Yes.
Tomasz Szeliga (01:28): And what did you learn?
Antonino Leobardo (01:29): Um, and, uh, drawing he, uh, just, um, I would say the... Was it the drawing he does?
Tomasz Szeliga (01:40): Oh, like the painting?
Antonino Leobardo (01:41): Yeah, the painting. All-
Tomasz Szeliga (01:42): Yeah.
Antonino Leobardo (01:43): ... all the basic drawing, painting just that he had brought. And, uh, color and the pastel and, uh-
Tomasz Szeliga (01:49): Mm-hmm.
Antonino Leobardo (01:51): ... with all the, uh- uh, sometime use the crayola.
Tomasz Szeliga (01:54): Well, actually is was more pastel. Was, like, the oil pastel.
Antonino Leobardo (01:56): Pastel, yeah.
Tomasz Szeliga (01:57): Oil pastel- pastel.
Antonino Leobardo (01:58): Yeah, the oil pastel, yeah. Mm-hmm.
Tomasz Szeliga (02:01): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, but, um, can you explain more, the experiences beside the art? What else can you tell us about the class? Like, have you learned anything that's more than art? Or have you had a, like, what other experiences did you have with this class?
Antonino Leobardo (02:18): Well, I don't have the, I don't have too much to say because this is my first time to see something different in my life, you know?
Tomasz Szeliga (02:25): Mm-hmm.
Antonino Leobardo (02:25): Never see some, um, never think one day coming here in the jail, you know? The, when it's coming here in the jail, everything, my life changed. Everything- everything's different. This a different world. It's not same that was before, you know, like, um, here right now, everything, I'm trying to change my life right now to- to help go the, um, success my future.
Tomasz Szeliga (02:51): And this class helped you well with the idea for the future?
Antonino Leobardo (02:55): Yeah, yeah exact.
Tomasz Szeliga (02:56): That's good. Yeah. Would you, how could you, for example, describe yourself as an artist or what is your goal when it comes to art? What kind of art would you- you really want to learn?
Antonino Leobardo (03:14): I like the drawing. The- the person, that like, he, uh, come in the cartoon.
Tomasz Szeliga (03:18): Oh, the cartoon drawing?
Antonino Leobardo (03:19): The cartoon drawing. Um, almost I like it more the, like, the, um, the cartoon drawing because the person I can't drawing.
Tomasz Szeliga (03:28): (laughs)
Antonino Leobardo (03:28): On drawing the roses and the, um, and that's it.
Tomasz Szeliga (03:35): Any inspiration in particular?
Antonino Leobardo (03:37): Yeah.
Tomasz Szeliga (03:38): Like, what inspires you? Like, what kind of, uh, cartoons? What kind of drawings?
Antonino Leobardo (03:42): And, um, uh, what's the name? Bugs Bunny.
Tomasz Szeliga (03:48): Mm-hmm.
Antonino Leobardo (03:49): And Mickey Mouse, and, uh, my favorite is, uh, what was the name? And, um, Looney Tunes. Looney Tunes, yeah.
Tomasz Szeliga (04:02): Oh, yeah. That's all right.
Antonino Leobardo (04:03): Yes.
Tomasz Szeliga (04:04): That's good, that brings back good childhoods. That's for sure. (laughs)
Antonino Leobardo (04:06): Yeah. (laughs) Thank you.
Tomasz Szeliga (04:08): Mm-hmm. Now, uh, did you learn anything about yourself through this class?
Antonino Leobardo (04:20): Hmm, nah, not this moment.
Tomasz Szeliga (04:22): Not this one?
Antonino Leobardo (04:23): No.
Tomasz Szeliga (04:24): Hmm. Nothing, uh, that specifically inspired you for the future? When you could leave, outside?
Antonino Leobardo (04:30): Well, um, I try here to, um, to make it more better, my drawings or maybe the future I'm more better. I'm- making some, I don't know some business with the drawings when I go out the jail. I- I don't know. I don't know, it's all dependent, but I'm try to make it more the better, my drawing.
Tomasz Szeliga (04:51): Yeah.
Antonino Leobardo (04:51): Yes.
Tomasz Szeliga (04:52): Understandable.
Antonino Leobardo (04:53): Mm-hmm.
Tomasz Szeliga (04:54): Now, this will be my last question. It'll be very open question, so now, would you like to let the rest of the community know more about you and your future goals when you leave the prison? Like, is there any message you would like to leave for everyone, all the listeners of the radio?
Antonino Leobardo (05:15): Well, of course. Um, the one be probably just work on how I was before, um, uh, I drink a lot. Uh, I'm coming, the reason I'm coming here, it is for DWI and, uh, and try... Well, um, to talk to people to start, uh, drinking or try when drink, you know, don't drink too much. Or take care of yourself because the, uh, any drug, any [inaudible 00:05:47] is very, very, um, terrible, you know? Um, now I lose everything. I lose my family, I lose my job, my- my everything. So, I'm try to talk the people when I go out here to take care of yourself. Not drink too much and, you know, like, try to do something else. Something good for yourself. Um, I think, um, that- that's the idea I have when I'm go- go out here.
Tomasz Szeliga (06:22): Yeah, thank you very much.
Antonino Leobardo (06:24): Thank you, you too.