Michael Rutherford interviews painter Brian Cypher.

Cypher comments that the work "starts with being open to the observation of everything at all times. It's important for me to have lots of different work happening all at once. I start with unknown marks and it goes on from there; it all begins with an idea that I don't know what the outcome will be. Over the years I've developed a trust and understanding of 'not knowing'. I want what I create to constantly inform me about my personal symbology. The hardest part about working from this unknown are the challenges of recognizing what needs to stay, what needs to go, or what just needs to stay around for awhile longer, but these are great challenges to work with. When you work from a place of instinct you are saying to yourself 'I am open'. When you are open to the possibility of creating something new, you have to accept all the paintings that come with that pursuit. I'm not interested in style; I'm interested in revealing how I think about the external world and how my brain filters that input. When I'm not in the studio I am cataloging observations all around me because art doesn't begin in the studio."