These paintings are made in the style and with the technique of traditional Indian Miniature Painting. I am drawn to this tradition because of its use of intense, saturated pigment, symbols that portray the landscape of the mind, and a peculiar sense of space in which figures hover between the volumetric and flat. This visual and conceptual "in-betweeness" as well the acute attention to detail suits my subject matter and artistic temperament. The miniatures are made on handmade Wasli paper: layers of cotton rag paper bound together by flour and water, stretched on a board and then burnished to a smooth, firm surface. ("Wasli" is the Persian word for lovers.) I use my finger as the palette for the watercolor pigment; my skin absorbs the excess water when I lift paint with an extremely fine-haired brush. The semi-dry colors are laid down in single, very small strokes that blend optically. Gold leaf is added at the end or during the process.