I have always been fascinated with still life painting and photography, for which fruits are wonderful subjects. Pears have subtle colors and a very appealing shape. And apples are iconic images of the earth’s health and vitality. All of the featured apples and pears came from our small orchard at Bogota, our family property in the Shenandoah Valley. Some of my favorites in this collection are still on the trees. Some fruit were placed on the front porch of our family home, next to stone planters with annuals, and taken against the vista of the Blue Ridge mountains beyond. Each individual fruit is perfect; each individual fruit has its own imperfections, which add to its character..