Apples have been appearing in my paintings and photographs ever since I began drawing them back at RIC in the eighties. It has meant so many things over the years--the obvious symbols from the bible, sin and knowledge...but somewhere it became more about some hidden part of me that I don't even fully understand--I think it keeps ending up in my work because I don't really get what I'm saying all the time--yet am compelled to say it----i guess it comes from having a symbol change its meaning and evolve its meaning and grow its meaning and and and....that I'm not completely aware of when I'm using it as a blatant solid thought or a more subtle not so clear thought. I know I can seldom ever simply have an idea and then illustrate it--it has to grow and there is no way for me to know--through all that process of making and thinking and rethinking, what the firm meaning is anymore--and more often than not it means everything I know somehow. I could wrap my brain around making these pictures of Jessica with an apple because I think her idea for it was so different than mine that I didn't quite grab on and run with it. But yet there it is--still in there. I'm not sure if I'll ever get rid of the apple as a symbol within my work--I keep thinking I need to but somehow it keeps coming back in. I have two pieces right now--that don't have the apple in the plan, but I won't be surprised if they end up in there somewhere! SayerMotter Photograph by Richard Sayer.