Therese Cipiti Herron is an artist and a nurse at the Grossmont Dermatology Medical Center, La Mesa, CA. She is a member of the San Diego Art Institute and of the Artists Guild, an affiliate of the San Diego Museum of Art. Her work has been shown in international and regional juried art exhibits.
The Clinic Shoe is one in a series of work incorporating images of past-and present-era nursing garb intended to remind viewers of the "lost image" of the uniformed nurse. Herron says, "Since the white uniform and cap went out, it's become increasingly difficult for the public to recognize who the nurses are. I don't think we need to go back to caps, but I do believe we need a professional look." Herron feels that making nurses more visible would also help attract new students to the profession, no small consideration given the current nursing shortage. Although long out of fashion, the Clinic shoe was renowned for its comfort and practicality; Herron still occasionally wears hers.