“I live under a northern sky. The light, its color, intensity, sensation, season, and length of day influence my psyche, mood, interior life and art practice. The long hours of daylight during summer and short hours during winter define our seasons, influence our lives, and distance us from our southern neighbors. Over the last couple of years I have made something between painting and collage. My collages are combinations of painted skies conjoined with tree forms. 'Painting with scissors' was what Matisse called his collage cut-outs. I cut out forms with a razor knife, a blunt tool compared to a brush. It forces one to simplify, to see the whole and not get lost in details.” -- Stoney Conley, professor, Fine Arts Department