IN MEMORY OF SEAN HARRIS

This contemporary needlework, created by the artist, consists of cast resin pavers as mark making and the land as the background. The marks are made of white resin, a reflection of the artist's own identity as a white woman. The piece is part of a series that seeks to confront and discuss the implications of skin color on our relationships with others. The tiles get reused for each project, much how clouds are arrangements of the same water droplets.

Much like how social media has revealed previously denied racist behavior, this piece can be seen from another perspective by taking a photo with your phone, and helps unlearn ingrained racism. Engaging with this piece helps us recognize our ingrained racism so that we can begin the unlearning process.

This piece is a portrait of Sean Harris, an autistic black child, who tragically lost his life when his mother sought help from the county mental health team. As a parent of a child with mental health issues, the artist has personally been advised to rely on this same team at the conclusion of every interaction with county services.

For Sean’s mother, a call for help swiftly escalated to police intervention. Sean's agitation increased as his mother felt increasingly powerless. In the end, Sean died in the bathroom of his own home, while the police were present, while his mother was forced to wait outside.

This piece serves as a stark warning to all parents of children with mental health issues: a call for help can tragically end in the loss of a child, like it did for Sean's mother. It also highlights the disturbing reality that black children are often perceived as violent threats before being recognized as individuals in need of mental health care. These outcomes are intolerable and call for urgent societal reflection and change.

The piece is not for sale.