I have this chair in my bathroom under a window where I've hung a simple linen curtain. My bedroom furniture's black and I have always had this chair nearby as it seems to be at home.

My great aunt Ruth (Foofie she was called, as my cousin, Penny couldn't say her "r"s when she was young) went through a stage and did tole painting. I must've been quite young, or it was before my time, as I never saw her do it or even talk about it. My mother had 3 of Ruth's chairs, all black, that she'd painted designs on. I chose this one because it was the most unusual. I can't even decipher what exactly the image is supposed to be, acorns maybe? Which is why I like it so much. It has mystery.

Looking back I had several people in my childhood who made art. A great aunt Frida who painted landscapes in oil, my great aunt Ruth, and my cousin Penny who still makes art and was an art teacher for many years. These were the the women who were my first inspirations for becoming an artist, especially Aunt Frida and Penny. Now I realize how important having those examples in my life were to me, how as a shy child I needed their example as permission to become an artist myself.

Seeing this chair everyday is a comfort and talisman in a way. It brings me luck, has special powers that tie me back to my roots. It reminds me of all the artistic, creative women who came before me and carved a path wide enough for me to journey down more easily toward my dreams.