Some of you in my workshops or seeing my business card have asked the story behind my design. Here is the story of how it came to be.

I was at a Peace conference in Ottawa, Ontario and I stayed over a Saturday night to get the best airline ticket price. I was wandering around a street market and discovered a stall with Chinese chops. I looked around at the wonderful work and I began talking with the young man working there. he explained how they were made and the elder man in the back spoke to him, ‘Ask her what work she does?’ in his native language. The three of us talked, with translation, and finally, the elder man said he would like to design a chop for me to represent my work.

I needed to look through all the stones to pick a chop and so I looked at the 15-20 dollar happy faces and hearts. The elder Tibetan told his grandson, ‘The chop has chosen her.’ I had been carrying a chop in my hand the whole time we were talking. You can see it above. There are two dragons, facing in opposite directions with Earth between them. Hand carved one of a kind, my chop has been with me for 30 years now.

The desk has a story too. My great grandma wanted to go to school and girls did not attend school in their community in the mid-1800s. Her grandpa made this desk, with ink holder in the right-hand corner under the leather. The two top pieces open up as a black painted board. I am happy to say this connection to my heritage survived the fire in my home. I am a third generation teacher and lifelong learner.