The David Leese Studio is presenting a community wide art exhibition for all residents and neighbors of York County, PA in Spring 2026.
    
 
               
 
We started to plan this very public art installation because of the violent act that took place in February 2025 at UPMC hospital (a place of healing) which took the life of Police Officer Andrew Duarte and left police departments, medical personnel and a community in a state of shock.
 
Then, in September of 2025, that shock turned to horror as three more Police Officers' (Detective Sergeant Cody Becker, Detective Mark Baker and Detective Isaiah Emenheiser) lives were taken in yet another senseless act of violence as they were ambushed trying to protect a young girl and her family from a 24 year old ex-boyfriend. The killings were described by authorities as the "Hateful Scourge of Domestic Violence".
 
No words can explain how a whole county's Hearts had become Hardened and scarred from such grief and sorrow.
 
We will be including programming and discussions throughout the 2-month exhibition relating to violence, civility and safety which will be available to all residents of York County. 
 
 
  
Background: An art project of love and hope for all of humanity.  

Now that all forms of violence (including sexual assault & domestic violence), hatred and bullying are front and center in every person's life and community, there is an urgency to confront these serious social issues. The David Leese Studio is now offering and placing our scaled up family friendly art exhibition titled the "Hardened Heart Series: Portraits of Humanity" as a vinyl art installation on glass front facades of buildings and public spaces. This temporary billboard style exhibition allows a wider public 24/7 access to interact with the strong message about social issues that have now morphed into serious safety and security concerns for every individual, family, business, school, college and communities across America. The "Hardened Hearts: Portraits of Humanity"  allows the public and all our leaders from all zip codes a creative way to help draw the public in and help everyone approach and discuss these difficult topics in a more thoughtful way.  
 
There is no one that has not been touched by violence and hatred in some way or has ADJUSTED theirs or their families lives because of the anxiety or anticipation of personally experiencing violence.  Violent acts are changing who we are as Americans and it is now time to confront and start "Changing Hearts" that have been harden because of indifference to the normalization of violence, hatred and bullying. Witnessing or hearing about so much violence changes who we are as human beings and hardens all of our hearts.  Our indifference to each other has become so deep into our culture that it is going to take a continuous and constant conversation to truly "Change Hearts". 
 
 
For additional information or to coordinate sponsorship of this unique family friendly art exhibition, contact Patricia Leese at the David Leese Studio at (610) 462-0851 or LeeseARTS@aol.com.