Claire (on the left) is as warmhearted and engaging as she appears; she and I are colleagues at Hampden-Sydney College. Bev is a little more gritty, a dynamic character and gifted landscape painter. The two of them have been a couple for as long as I have known them. My wife saw them at a party dressed in this blonde/black attire and suggested they would be a good subject for me. Beyond the appealing textures and patterns, beyond the elegant embrace, I wanted an image which conveyed how united they are, while retaining their individuality. In November, this unity became official when Bev and Claire were married in Massachusetts.