This little family moved into a woodpecker’s abandoned nest in the tree outside our home. After the woodpecker and her chicks had grown and left, I asked my husband to climb up and fill the hole to prevent damage to the tree. But when he reached the opening, he stopped — a tiny nose was poking out. Instead of filling it, he stayed on the ladder and took lots of pictures of the squirrels nestled together.

Their irresistible charm and the unexpected nature of the moment inspired this piece, which has since become one of my most popular and award-winning paintings — a reminder that sometimes the greatest inspiration comes from the most surprising moments.