Susan always referred to this piece as – "I Heard the Owl Call My Name", painted in early 1982 – as her “breakthrough” piece, what she called “the announcement of coming change.” It prefigured the development of what became her preferred style from 1985 until her death, with its inclusion of a wide-variety of textures, feathery work in the garments, subtle inking around the outside and an expanded use of intricate, pencil-drawn detail, seen here in the interesting triangular decoration.

The close merging of the human and animal figures, suggesting a blending of the seen and unseen realms, was to become very familiar in her work as she increasingly turned to Native American shamanic themes. The central figure expresses a strength that seemed to show a newly discovered stronger part of herself. The four birds link this piece to yet another complex of symbols, another feeling sense.

For years Susan thought of the figure as a man until people kept describing it as feminine. Many of Susan’s figures share this androgynous quality.

It is a remarkable piece.