I loved painting this. The wood pigeons which nest in our garden were cooing and calling to each other one summer's day. So I just began to paint them there and then, to try to capture the joy that these birds have bought me all my life. Since I was a child their long cool notes have made me smile...and feel safe: it is such a comforting sound, which wraps you in kindness. I looked at the pigeon sitting on the branch in front of me...and saw the myriads of patterns and colours; so was inspired to paint this after the style of William Morris. .......