SYRACUSE, N.Y. – One by one, the prisoners wait for seven days on death row. Even the president of the United States can’t commute their sentence. Their fate lies in your hands. Artist Robert D’Agostino hopes you will come to the rescue.

As part of his experiment “Save My Studies,” D’Agostino is putting his drawings and paintings up for auction on eBay. If the works don’t sell within seven days, he destroys them.

First, he likes to draw on the original work by adding tears, a blindfold or an apple. Then he does one of several things: splashes water on the canvas, cuts it in half with a circular saw, sets the work on fire, shoots it with a gun or runs it through a paper shredder.

D’Agostino, 43, films the executions and posts them on his Web site. So far, he has murdered seven prisoners. Four lucky ones survived death row.

His minimum sale price is based on a wage of $10 per hour. D’Agostino keeps track of the time spent on each piece. If it’s a portrait of a person, he doubles the price so he can split the profit with the individual who posed for him.

In December, D’Agostino lost his job as a nurse’s aide after being laid off from Community General Hospital in Syracuse.

He has been a part-time artist and full-time nurse’s aid for 15 years. During breaks at work, D’Agostino said, he would often sketch portraits of patients.

“I want to be a full-time artist but I need insurance and my family needs to eat,” said D’Agostino, who is married and has grown children. He said he doesn’t really want to destroy his work but he’s committed to the experiment.

To see more pieces and video of D’Agostino destroying his work visit http://savemystudies.blogspot.com.

Q: Why are you performing executions?

A: It’s a way for me to create some urgency to collect my work. I’m trying to become a full-time artist. I’m trying to get away from commissioned work.

I want to work on things I find interesting – still life, landscapes, portraits. Not someone giving me a picture and asking me to draw their mother (and saying), “but not with these glasses and fix her hair.”

Q: Where did you get this idea?

A: It’s got to do with frustration. There’s also a fascination with the destruction of artwork … . People are really intrigued by how (sidewalk murals are) so temporary.

I’ve been trying to navigate the ocean of marketing. All the references that I’ve been reading say don’t follow the crowd, do something outrageous.

I’m trying to exploit the massive potential of the Internet for artists.

Q: Do you feel like you’re killing your babies?

A: It feels like I’m having a temper tantrum. When I’m in the act, I’m not even thinking about that.

Q: Are you being wasteful with supplies, time and energy?

A: Not right now, but I’m sure I’ll look back and say, “Boy I wish I hadn’t done that.” I’m looking for attention. I’m not going to lie.

Q: Why not just exhibit your work?

A: I’ve never been one to try to go to a gallery and get my work set up. I’ve always been kind of off the beaten path with my work.

I don’t want to go into a gallery. It seems tired and old and stale to me.

I’m not set up for that kind of presentation. I’m not good at it … framing, matting, photographing, submitting and all the standard things that are required to get on board with a gallery.

Q: How did you become an artist?

A: I’ve always had an interest in faces, and that manifested into becoming a plastic surgeon. When I was about 11, there was an old detective show called “Mannix,” and I remember someone describing a killer to a sketch artist and I’ve always been fascinated with that. I’m self-taught. I track down artists I admire. I also study from videos and magazines.

Q: How long will you continue with the executions?

A: Until I run out of paint and money. If I can continue to get attention and cover the cost of my supplies or if I destroy all my work, then I’ll probably eventually stop.