My friend was a popular, promising artist - how did he end up on the streets of Portland, addicted and dangerous?

When I first met Evan B Harris he was fizzing with talent and kindness. So I was shocked to hear he had become homeless and out of control. What happened to him is a story playing out in cities across AmericaThe summer I met Evan B Harris, Portland was in the midst of a heatwave. People sat hot and listless on their porches, and took trips out to Crater Lake. In the backyard of my rental house, the grass grew dry and yellowed.One evening, a friend invited me to an art opening across town. Inside, Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie was playing an acoustic set, but most of us were out in the yard, drinking beer in the lowering sun. I remember Evan, heavily tattooed and wearing a wide-brimmed hat. He asked how I was enjoying the exchange rate – in those days two dollars to the pound – and I joked I’d bought so much vintage clothing I was thinking I would have to buy a house to keep it all in. Continue reading...

Nov 30, 2024 - 17:30
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When I first met Evan B Harris he was fizzing with talent and kindness. So I was shocked to hear he had become homeless and out of control. What happened to him is a story playing out in cities across America

The summer I met Evan B Harris, Portland was in the midst of a heatwave. People sat hot and listless on their porches, and took trips out to Crater Lake. In the backyard of my rental house, the grass grew dry and yellowed.

One evening, a friend invited me to an art opening across town. Inside, Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie was playing an acoustic set, but most of us were out in the yard, drinking beer in the lowering sun. I remember Evan, heavily tattooed and wearing a wide-brimmed hat. He asked how I was enjoying the exchange rate – in those days two dollars to the pound – and I joked I’d bought so much vintage clothing I was thinking I would have to buy a house to keep it all in. Continue reading...

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