My heart sank in pain when the news came from the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation that the remains of 215 children were found on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. I could hear nothing but a distant humming. There was silence all around me. I couldn’t even cry. I knew at the level of my soul, that it  would be one of my greatest challenges to process the level of anger and sorrow I felt. 215 quickly became a sacred cry to remind us of the thousands of little souls lost in the genocide of a sacred culture across Turtle Island. 

Each orb in 215: When the Children Cry represents one of the little souls lost. Each one is painted with 7 layers, to honor the Seventh Generation Principle, based on an ancient Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) philosophy that it takes seven generations to heal the consequences of choices made. Here we are today, finally aware. There is still so much to be done. 

"This piece has to be the most challenging one that I have created so far. I could only spend a short time before needing to walk away, only to return to more sorrow and healing." 

The viewer is encouraged to touch the painting, and rub their hand against the texture that represents the soil from which these lost little souls have had to rise. 

After viewing the piece: “I like the dual meaning of the red whisps and undertones, it’s the creator carrying the souls of the children lost, back to Turtle Island, but, also representative of the senseless bloodshed of the innocent children. Like they’re bleeding out. It makes you feel uncomfortable but in a thought provoking way. Like someone took hold of your heart and stopped it beating for a second in their hands.” - Rachel