Sampler c. 1938

This embroidered sampler was stitched by Gunice W. Cook in 1813, when she was just 10 years old. Imagine her patiently pushing the needle through the fabric, forming each letter and number with tiny crosses. I can see her trying to perfect each stitch, carefully following the pattern. There’s a real sense of dedication here! It reminds me of the focused energy I bring to my own paintings, that feeling of getting lost in the process, of making something stitch by stitch, mark by mark, a labor of love. The border is a decorative touch, with its little roses and diamonds, and down below, four dark green trees frame a yellow basket. I bet Gunice was thinking about the world around her as she worked. It's like she's saying, “Here’s what I know, here’s what I can do, and here’s a little piece of my world." It makes me wonder what Gunice went on to do with her life.