Carole Harris finds inspiration in the energy and rhythm of cities, particularly her hometown of Detroit, as well as the rhythm of jazz and blues musicians. This work shares its title with Thelonius Monk’s composition Straight No Chaser from 1951. Like jazz musicians, Harris employs simple compositional devices and repetitions with very original results. She improvises as she works, layering pieces together into a final composition with no preconceived ideas, allowing the cloth to guide her journey. The resulting works have a harmonious quality, generated through a nuanced balance of shape, color, and texture.

A lifelong resident of Detroit, Harris learned to embroider and sew from her mother as a young girl. After graduating from Wayne State University with a degree in interior design, Harris made her first quilt and began to explore in-depth the artistic possibilities of fabric and thread. Harris considers her own relationship to each piece of fabric, its cultural history, and her sensory experience with the material. Harris improvises as she works, layering pieces together into a final composition with no preconceived ideas, allowing the cloth to guide her journey. The resulting works have a harmonious quality, generated through a nuanced balance of shape, color, and texture. 

The purchase of Carole Harris’ Straight No Chaser was made possible by the North Star Legacy Group. Named for the guiding star of the Underground Railroad, the North Star Art Legacy Group was created to support the acquisition of art by Black artists.

Contributions of $2,500+

• Khan and Liza Nedd
• Tasha and Will Blackmon
• Bill and India Manns

Contributions of $1,000+

• Hayden Boyce, MD and Marcia Boyce
• Kenyatta and Tracey Brame
• Khary Bridgewater and Jennifer McCormick-Bridgewater
• André and Nicole Dandridge
• Paul and Celeste Doyle
• Stephen and Clarice Drew
• Exploratory Committee for Exemplary Women, Inc.
• Arlen and LaSandra Gaddy
• Michael and Jennifer Hawkins
• Westly A Johnson and Savator Selden-Johnson
• Kyla King & Nathan Kukla
• Dr. Tarence and Mrs. Eva Lauchie
• Brad and Andola Mathis
• Nathaniel and Laura Moody
• Carla Moore
• Bill and Lori Pink
• Daryl and Debra Reece
• Christopher and Kelli Smith
• Stephen and Taylor Smith — Muse GR
• Alex and Brittany Thibodeau in Memory of Claudia Thibodeau
• Robert and Shana Washington
• Daniel and Kaellen Williams

Supporting Contributions

• Clara and Joe Stewart
• Marcus Jackson and Amber Baker
• Debra Hines