“Painting is about design and surface tension and emotional impact. It is about conflicting influences. It is about balancing spontaneity with skillful integrity, complexity with clarity. It is a constant dance, balancing illusion with the reality to be created. My paintings, even my landscapes, are ultimately about people. I attempt to look beyond the surface of what is and capture not only the image but also the truth and emotional impact of that image. I want every painting to find its own way, wherein I’m acting almost as a facilitator rather than an actor. When this honesty occurs, the painting is not only about what the eye sees, but, more significantly, it is about what the heart feels.” –Lesley Rich