Environments are all around us, whether naturally occurring or built by societies. Inevitably they surround us, they dictate our behaviours, setting the tone and incautiously influencing our outlooks, our presence, and our dispositions. We are dependent upon this, setting the stage for a complete picture: a representation that a casual observer would see and inherently use to form an opinion. These opinions, good or bad, paint a canvas. We can change our environments from time to time, willingly or unwillingly, and as we do, part of us changes with them.

I reflect on all that I have learned about Art thus far and what occurs to me the most is the way that I look at the progression of a piece. After all, we take the elements within our chosen mediums and arrange, manipulate and translate them in such a way that they are pleasing and occasionally disturbing to our sensory perceptions.

Every artist wants to stimulate some sort of emotion in their audience. The intention is to reach out for a reaction, so that, even if only for a moment, we may recognize the relationship between expressions, wants and meanings and reflect upon our human civilization.

When I began this collection, I was very much aware of the condition that we have created for ourselves. We take little time to enjoy, expand our thoughts and reflect upon the Aesthetics. It was art that brought me back to this philosophy and allowed me to appreciate what it is that I have to create and contribute. We all crave culture as a way to learn and expand our knowledge, and it is culture that cultivates my basic urge to create.

Richie Lee's art on the Web