This young woman, her face painted with circles of Thanaka, Burma’s traditional makeup, was more than willing to sit for this portrait without mugging or self-consciousness. I was struck by her serious mood, which is reinforced by the darkness behind her. More than half of her form is in shadow, which conveys an atmosphere of emergence, a coming of age. She was sitting on a ledge next with a window on one side of her and a large red rug on the other side of her. The rug is barely perceived – it brings just a trace of color to the darkness, complementing the color of her red sarong. The portrait is profound in its serious mood and emotional tone because of the flow of light and deep shadow, and her serious expression, which never varied. To me, this is face of Burma’s next generation, about to come of age. It is mood and atmosphere that help it express this idea.