59.Artist appreciation

The writer and author of “Worn Stories,” Emily Spivack, interviews creative types about their most prized possessions. Here, the 101-year-old painter Carmen Herrera explains why one inconspicuous table has been in the center of her living space for almost 60 years.

Alternate views of the artist Carmen Herrera’s table at home.Credit...Philip Mauro/Courtesy Lisson Gallery

I acquired this table by chance in the 1960s. There was a factory downstairs from where I lived on East 19th Street where women would sew flowers onto hats. The factory owner was this Irish man who used to frequent the bar next door after work and would have his little boy wait outside for him while he had a few. I befriended the boy and one day his dad just showed up at my door and said the factory was closing and he had all kinds of furniture, including this table.

Carmen HerreraCredit...Jason Schmidt/Courtesy Lisson Gallery

"My husband of more than 60 years shared this table with me, and it will always remind me of our years together. It’s also an essential part of my daily life and routine. It’s where I eat, read, sit and talk with friends, and often work. I think if the table represents my work in any way, it’s that it’s resilient, sturdy and unassuming. It is an object that quietly but firmly states, “I am a table.”

The table is in the heart of my loft. It’s the main piece of furniture in my living space. My home has always been very pared down and simplified. It is a very utilitarian and comfortable space with no decorative excesses. I find inspiration in the simplicity of a straight line and many of the objects in my home, like this table, are just that ... simple."