Almost 100 years ago, my 14 year old grandmother was working full time at a factory, sewing. Because of this, she helped support her family and could also afford to buy the nicest fabrics and make her own clothes. The reference for this painting was a tiny old faded photograph taken in very bright light, but there was enough there for me to make this painting. This is my grandmother, then known as Lucy Melino in the teal dress and her friend Rose.