On a hot summer's day, as I stepped across the threshold into the interior of Bellamy's mill, I was immediately aware of the sudden retreat of outside sounds. As I moved a little further into the room I also sensed the cooler air, the softening of light, and a sense of privacy that filled the space. Amid the pale filtered light and the deep velvet shadows I seemed to feel myself being absorbed into that humble space, becoming part of the peaceful atmosphere, much like the resting doves that perched on a nearby window ledge. Later on in the studio these simple sensations played in my mind over and over again as I worked, directly influencing the direction of the painting as a blending of physical reality with my emotional reactions to that reality. — MD