Sweet Georgia Brown (Better Love) Print

Being an expressive painter who prefers to work with reclaimed materials, I have chosen to use a printmaking technique in this series to complement my primary medium. These pieces are unique impressions that all begin with a single hand-carved block. Using collage and paint, I show how different each print becomes when its context changes. It’s just like witnessing the effect of varied lives on identical twins. My subject draws on one of the most formative events of my childhood, my horse Fireblaze. It is the story of an unmanageable stallion gifted unexpectedly to an 8-year-old girl. Naturally, everyone assumed I couldn’t handle such an animal. However, I’ve never been one who cared much for what others believed was possible. Fireblaze became my best friend, and the relationship taught me confidence, courage, and compassion. Horses are deeply connected to humankind. It’s as if their souls differ from other animals. They are avenues for understanding balance and trust. You cannot control an animal of that size by force. What is required is trust. Trust can only come from learning to balance your needs and wants with those of your steed. This lesson is radically transformative. It’s a vehicle for learning to manage your relationships with others and with yourself.