"This picture developed from photos I took of vegetables we had harvested from my friend's plot in West Nashville. I set up lighting and captured the images with the intention of turning them into a painting. At a certain point, I decided to stop before the work became overly realistic. As Michael Shane Neal once remarked, one of those pumpkins looks incredibly lifelike. But I don't believe a painting has to mimic a photograph or be hyper-realistic, even in the realm of realistic painting. It just needs to be real enough to convey a specific perspective and emotion. I also spent a lot of time working on the eggplant and peppers, paying close attention to their details."