I painted two nudes on an antique book from 1837 London called Friendship Offering. There’s a beautiful inscription in the front: “Presented to Miss M. J. Gallatin by her friend Rankin.” The inscription is flanked by a sapphic illustration titled “The Secret.”

I immediately thought of a beautiful and tender pose session between Olive and Pepa. Their softness with each other really embodied the vibes of this book for me.