Tom Gregg

"The Red Apple combines three layers of reality in one painting - a realistically rendered still life of apples, a graphic line representation of Dick and Jane, and a background pattern that is actually a photographic image of people. In a broad sense, the painting revolves around ideas of innocence—an apple a day, an apple for the teacher, the fall of Adam and Eve; textbook illustrations that presented a mythic and idyllic vision of American life; and a yearbook photograph of students leaving school at the end of the day. It is more complex, meant to provide a contrast to the simple graphic depiction of the children. They are set in opposition and competition"—Tom Gregg