I want this painting to be a joyful welcome to spring- imaginative, and with an almost enchanted feel, like an early spring evening when the sun is setting and the robins are singing their evensong. I listened to "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Anderson, and "Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie which helped to keep the imaginative and childlike feeling with me. (I was impressed with "Peter Pan". The author has such a good way of putting things and describing human nature, and has in Peter the characteristics of a charming yet selfish toddler.) It can be difficult to find music or books with the right mood to enhance my work. "The Secret Garden" is one that I come back to again and again; and for music, the melodic and romantic Josh Groban nearly always works! "If" is a recently discovered song that I love the beautiful and wistful feel of. I have a long attention span for a new song and can listen to it over and over for half an hour- which is helpful if it has just the right emotion.