"I painted these three Royal Terns after I saw them on the beach here in Florida in late winter. The colors of the bright orange beaks and the reflection in the wet sanders so striking I just had to paint them. They looked so comical with the fancy hairdos on top of their heads when the wind blew. The wind would catch the feathers on top of their heads and make them stand up. There were probably thirty terns on the beach that day all gathered together. Other people on the beach would walk by and smile while I took photos of the terns. One person asked me where I was from and when I said "Florida" he sounded confused as to why someone would take photos of the beach birds if I lived here. I’m sure everyone thought I was a tourist on the beach seeing the birds for the first time. I was just treasure hunting…"