Portrait of Nora Brown Hutchins (1869-1944). Nora was born in Binghamton, New York, lived in the Syracuse area, then moved to California, which is presumably where she encountered the depicted Native American baskets.

Nora worked as a professional seamstress, particularly in the area of furs. She worked for Carson Pirie Scott and the famous furrier, John Klein. Nora's great-nephew was RKO child star, Wesley Barry.