JOHANNA PORTER IS NOT SORRY

Marni Penning narrates one woman's personal takedown of the art world. After stealing a famous portrait painted of her more than 20 years earlier, Johanna Porter must come to terms with her past, present, and future as an artist. Penning deftly navigates all the complex emotions Johanna feels when coming face-to-face with both her former mentor/lover and the famous portrait of herself: rage, grief, embarrassment, guilt, shame, and hard-won indifference. As Penning steers Johanna through the agony of working on both her art and herself while also navigating the realities of being an art thief on the lam, her portrayal of the relationship between Johanna and her teenage daughter, Mel, is astonishing in its palpable authenticity. K.M.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2024]