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Reblooming Orchids
and Reblooming Lives
My name is Gillian Horsley. I live in Atlanta and I am an artist - a painter. I grew up in South Africa and moved to Atlanta in 1992 to marry my late husband - Alex Horsley, founding headmaster of the Atlanta International School. In South Africa, my uncle used to staple orchids to the trees and they would flourish in the semi tropical climate. It was so exotic and magnificent, I was mesmerized! When Alex and I moved to Hong Kong in 1998, I once again connected with orchids and delighted in growing them in our penthouse above the school.
Back in Atlanta, I noticed that many people adorned their houses with these gorgeous plants, but unlike me, they disposed of them when they quit blooming. I have always tended mine and coaxed them back to bloom. All it takes is lots of patience, love and care and the right growing conditions.
In 2005, I was part of an ecumenical Task Force that was trained in Washington DC to be at the forefront of combatting Human Trafficking. I became increasingly aware of the large population in Atlanta of women (and men) who have suffered terrible distress. People who’ve been trafficked, people who’ve been pimped out, people who’ve been discarded because they have lost their bloom, people traumatized by domestic abuse and many, many more. So, I suggested to friends that they drop off their orchids with me when they stopped blooming and I would give them the care and attention they need to rebloom. Then, I would donate the blooming plants to various shelters and safe havens. And so I became known as “The Orchid Whisperer.”
The residents of the shelters know my analogy: they were disrespected and discarded when they were no longer flourishing and beautiful and even exotic. But INSIDE they are ALWAYS made in the image of the Creator – magnificent and unique. The orchids are a visual reminder to them of whom they always are: beloved and precious.
I am so grateful to everyone who allows me to take care of their spent plants. Please know what joy and delight they bring in the next iteration of their lives. And yes, I’m thinking of painting a series showcasing our orchids!
My website is www.GilliansFineArt.com
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