6-06-2021 10:04pm

Sheehan School Community Begins "Weaving & Welcoming" Inclusion Art Project

Darlene Cancell Editor

Hearts, a rainbow, and a circle of paper people holding hands are examples of how Sheehan students and staff have expressed its inclusive community message in its "Weaving & Welcoming" temporary art installation.

Just after Memorial Day, Sheehan School students and staff of the Westwood Public Schools officially launched the school's new temporary art installation, Weaving & Welcoming, an art project to express inclusiveness and welcome in the school community. The inclusive art installation decorates the long wire fence that runs between the Sheehan school playground and the town's playing field. The art has been growing over time, as new expressions of welcome and inclusion are added by the school community.

Appearing first over Memorial Day Weekend was the shape of a red heart, created by red plastic cups nestled into holes in the fence. Alongside the heart is a sign explaining the Weaving & Welcoming art installation.

On Tuesday, June 2, 2021, a colorful Sheehan sign was added, using the same technique as the red heart, with letters of the word formed by colorful plastic cups. Also appearing were flags in red, yellow, green, blue and pink, each displaying encouraging words and/or pictures penned in black ink. A "Free To Be Me" sign was added in colored ink.

By the weekend of June 5th, more colorful flags, signs, and pictures appeared. Ribbons and colored yarn are now woven around fence holes, and the word, "Love," is spelled out using pink, plastic streamers. A second, smaller red heart of plastic cups has been created to the right of the first, big heart, which now sports a rainbow flag at its center. To the other side of the little heart is a large circle created from the connected hands of thirty-eight individual paper cut-out people. One particularly impressive art addition is the depiction of a single person's face, constructed from the faces of individuals of different races, and appearing under a heading "Diversity Matters!"

The temporary art installation is a gathering of symbols of inclusion, "to create a welcoming environment for all," says Sheehan Principal Kristen Evans in an announcement to students' families. Families are invited to add their own symbols of inclusion to the fence through the weekend of June 12th.

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Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. In this image titled, "Diversity Matters!", a human face is created by combining a portion of faces from four different races. Click left or right arrows to scroll for more pictures.

Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. An array of flags with positive messages decorate the fence between Sheehan School and the town's playing field. Click left or right arrows to scroll for more pictures.

Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. "Be Kind" is a motto of the Sheehan School, and appears in black ink on this flag. Click left or right arrows to scroll for more pictures.

Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. This red heart was one of the very first pieces of art to be added to Sheehan School's temporary inclusive art installation.Click left or right arrows to scroll for more pictures.

Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. This "Free To Be Me" poster includes twenty words of encouragement and inclusion, such as "Acceptance," "Differences," "Brave," "Together," "Unique," and "Kindness." Click left or right arrows to scroll for more pictures.

Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. Colorful plastic cups nestled into fence holes have spelled out the name of the Sheehan School which is hosting the inclusive art installation.Click right or left arrows to scroll for more photos.