While wandering the streets and riding the bus in Florence, Italy I listened to the music of singer song writer, Eric Bogle. At that time, it was the song ‘Something of Value’ that interested me. The words to this song ran through the eight large paintings I completed while I was in Italy. Upon return to Canada I attended an Eric Bogle concert and I suggested to Eric 'a collaborative effort, his music, my paintings....some time in the future'. This took place in Toronto at Hugh's Room at the concert 'One Last Kick at the Cat' with Eric Bogle, John Munro and John McDermott. I began work on this series, ‘Lonely Souls’, with the vision of one hundred butterfly paintings on a gallery wall....butterfly paintings interspersed with faces of the elderly. The inspiration for this body of work came from the song written by Eric Bogle….’A Reason For It All’. The words to this song ran through each of my paintings.  I had become very close to lonely old souls… in my father who passed away with Alzheimers Disease and in my mother who resided in a retirement residence, alone after 62 years of marriage. While mom lived with 75 others, she told me…’I’m lonely’.