Although at the moment I do not have a pet, I had cats and
dogs as a child. More latterly, whilst on the art foundation course my son
Nathan came home with what looked like a light bulb box and asked me to guess
what was inside it – I was rather surprised when he opened it and out flew a beautiful
little yellow parakeet. Her name soon became Lettuce as she would fly down and
land on my fork whilst I was eating. Nathan had hoped to teach this dear little
bird to speak but as she turned out to be female that didn’t happen. But she
did bring great joy, often flying round the studio or sitting on my head while
I was painting. She can be seen flying near the ceiling.

I also had a studio rabbit called Hopper who was likewise
given to me by Nathan who was now an art student in Bristol and had Hopper
living in a hutch outside the house he shared. When he brought him home for the
Christmas holiday he decided Hopper looked so much happier having the run of
the house and my studio. So for several years Hopper gave us much delight.

The bond between man and animals has always been moving. My
sister’s dog Duke became her soul mate after she lost her husband Howell.
Doris, my daughter Henrietta’s rescue cat is sitting in the foreground and Nathan’s
young boxer dog called Bea, also features in this painting.

I like the idea of a waiting room in which people and their
pets sit. The Alice-like figure in the foreground was inspired by Henrietta who
as a child played Alice. So I have the feeling that the white rabbit leads them
all into a short passage of time or Alice leads them through a mirror.