"I have been listening to Radio 4 while painting for at least Ìý30 years and would not have survived without it. The most inspirational programme I have heard recently was the Reith Lecture, the Emerging Mind given by VÌýSÌýRamachundran. He talked about an experiment with ÌýHerring Gull chicks and their response to a large substitute gull's beak and how they reacted. The bigger it was the Ìýmore they got excited, responding to what they perceived as a super Mother. This painting was inspired by the lecture."