Silent Messenger

In "The Silent Messenger," Michelle Krasowski uses blue film printmaking to tell a story rooted in her family’s real-life experiences and Polish superstition.

In Polish culture, owls are powerful symbols, believed to carry messages of major life events. According to tradition, if an owl hoots with a high pitch, it signals that a pregnancy is near; if the pitch is low, it warns of death. This piece is dedicated to a close relative, whom Krasowski considers a sister, and honors a story passed down through generations.

Set in the 1990s, the story begins when Krasowski’s aunt, who had recently emigrated from Poland to America, was unaware she was pregnant. Far away in rural Poland, her great-grandparents noticed an owl perched on the rooftop for several weeks. With no modern technology to easily share news, they trusted their intuition and sent a letter asking if she might be expecting. Their instincts, guided by the silent messenger, proved true: she was pregnant with the cousin who later became like a sister to Krasowski.

By capturing the owl under a full, glowing moon, Krasowski taps into the sense of mystery, intuition, and connection that transcends distance. "The Silent Messenger" is a tribute to the way superstition, nature, and family remain deeply intertwined, even across oceans and generations.