This painting was inspired by a sweet little melon I grew from seed in my garden. The creation of this painting mirrored the love and care I gave to this melon as it grew in the high desert climate of New Mexico. It grew from seed into this sweet succulent and fragrant melon over several months. This patient process of tending growth of the plant mirrored my painting process of creating the painting with homemade fresh egg tempera medium mixed with natural earth pigments, slowly and gently building layers to create this portrait of my little melon. It is ultimately about balance, about living close to the earth, to Nature, honoring the processes and cycles of life, and how acknowledging and honoring this leads to compassion.