Long-distance friendships have played an important role in my life since childhood. Inspired by emailed photo attachments, in Lovers and Other Strangers (2001-07) the near-identical double portrait implied 'distance between'. Painted from collected images I received from my friends, I actively 'author' others, asking them to choose their image, however, their choice is mediated by our relationship, and thus a subtle inverted authorship occurs. Hung separately, the viewer stands between both halves of the diptych, connecting each half to the other by memory. The title for each diptych is the city from where the image was sent.