Ridley Howard interviews Richard Roth on the occasion of the exhibition Richard Roth: Under the Influence, New Paintings and Early Work, at Reynolds Gallery, Richmond, Virginia, on view through February 23, 2013.

Roth comments: "The small 3-D polychrome paintings are arrived at in a pretty traditional way, they evolve from the process of their making. I start painting on panels I use as prototypes — they are identical in size to the final paintings and they are quite roughly painted. I want to develop ideas as quickly as possible and the paintings change rapidly, I often use colored tape to change forms, whatever's fast ­­– things get messy and I usually just paint one side and the front, just enough for me to understand the painting. When I find the painting, when it's right, I repaint it carefully on a new panel. I don't love this final part of the process ­– re-fabrication — but I believe it is necessary for the idea of the work to be read clearly and without any kind of nostalgic patina. The first step of the process is the party, the second step ­is what the paintings demand."