Hummingbirds are special. They are in some ways more like an insect than a bird. They are designed for flowers as are many insects. As most flowers are too delicate to perch on, the hummingbirds are very light so that they can hover, usually only touching the flower with the tips of their tongues as they sip the nectar. The wings are virtually invisible, and their iridescent feathers flash brilliant and dull, depending on the angle of reflection. I have shown this pair as a diptych. The idea came from Japanese screens, which have almost an arbitrary breaking of a continuous scene. This somehow forces the viewer to see the scene in a fresh way and gives the composition an alternative significance. I was conscious of the parallel between the almost stained glass glow of the backlit aspen leaves and the burning iridescence of the hummingbird’s feathers. - RB