Background: Mullis is a retired lawyer who began collecting art shortly after graduating from Emory University's law school in 1975. He started with American prints, especially those from the 1920s and 1930s. Today, the home he shares with his wife, Babe, in Virginia-Highland is filled to the brim with three collections: prints; acrylic paintings by Dale Rayburn, a Roswell artist and friend; and a folk art collection that includes pieces by such well-known Southern artists as Howard Finster, Jimmy Lee Sudduth and Mose Tolliver.

Collecting philosophy: Mullis looks for striking pieces that can hold their own next to other artworks, something Mullis calls "wallpower." He is very interested in others' reactions to his collections. He asks visitors, including folk art curators who come calling, to name their favorite and least favorite pieces in his collection.

TODD R. McQUEEN / Special (ENLARGE)

Among retired attorney Carl Mullis' favorite works is the one over his shoulder: 'Ezekiel Visions #2 (Chapter 3:11 — Chariot Over Israel)' by Myrtice West. It was the first piece of folk art Mullis purchased.

RELATED LINKS: • More collectors discuss their favorites • See the homes of Private Quarters

Favorite piece: "Ezekiel Visions #2 (Chapter 3:11 — Chariot Over Israel)," 1993, an oil on canvas by self-taught Alabama artist Myrtice West, who began painting after she said she awoke preaching behind a church pulpit. This piece depicts a host of angels, some with the heads of lions and eagles, floating below a rainbow that frames a bearded, crowned God on his throne.

Why he loves it: It is the first piece of folk art he purchased. The vibrant colors grabbed him when he spotted the piece at Folk Fest in Norcross in 1994, he said. The painting has characteristics he appreciates in folk art: It is "vibrant, emotional, filled with raw excitement."

My Favorite Piece is a way to let Atlantans talk about the best-loved works in their collections. If you have a suggestion, email Kirsten Tagami at ktagami@ajc.com.