Redmond Association  of Spokenword

April 24, 2026 —  The Girl Who Drew Horses by Jana Harris (poet)
and Audience Response: Write & Share

6:00 p.m.

MC: TBD

Step into the fierce, untamed world of Rosa Bonheur—a visionary artist who defied convention and redefined what a woman could be.

In this electrifying collection, Jana Harris channels Bonheur’s voice through vivid dramatic monologues that blur the line between history and imagination. Part psychobiography, part poetic revelation, these poems immerse you in the raw pulse of 19th-century Paris and beyond—where art, rebellion, and identity collide.

Born into poverty, shaped by loss, and more at ease among animals than people, Bonheur refused to conform to the rigid expectations placed on women of her time. Instead, she forged her own path—becoming one of the most celebrated painters in the world.

This is not just her story—it’s a reckoning. A lyrical exploration of gender, class, genius, and the wild instinct to create against all odds.

The Girl Who Drew Horses is a bold, immersive tribute to resilience and artistic fire—an unforgettable journey from overlooked outsider to global icon that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt called to defy the rules.

Audience Response: Write & Share
Following the reading, audiences are invited to step into the creative process themselves. Participants will receive writing prompts, dedicated time to write, and the opportunity to share their work in small groups—an engaging, low-pressure way to connect, reflect, and create in community.

Jana Harris has taught creative writing at the University of Washington and at the Writer’s Workshop in Seattle among other institutions. She is editor and founder of Switched-on Gutenberg. Her publications include You Haven’t Asked About My Wedding or What I Wore, Poems of Courtship on the American Frontier (University of Alaska Press), and the memoir, Horses Never Lie About Love (Simon & Schuster). Jana will be reading from a new manuscript: “The Girl Who Drew Horses, the Woman Who Painted Lions,” poems on the life and art of French Painter Rosa Bonheur (1822–99).