Though some of my Oriental technique paintings are as carefully planned as my traditional watercolor subjects, most frequently I begin the painting process even before my subject is fully conceptualized. I work exclusively on a Japanese paper, which I carefully wet and wrinkle, then spread out not-quite-flat while I apply initial washes of color. The flow of pure color onto the wet paper evokes an immediate emotional response, which I can build upon as I continue through the painting process. As the paint dries, pigment is trapped in the wrinkles and folds of the paper, giving the painting its distinctive look and texture. Once the initial layer of paint has dried, I mount the paper to acid-free cotton fiberboard using archival wheat paste. Then I continue the painting process as the composite sheet gradually dries. As might be expected, there is a strong element of chance in the behavior of paint and paper when handled in this manner, and this challenge, lending a constant air of excitement and uncertainty to the process, finds its way into each successful finished work.