John Seed interviews painter William Bailey on the occasion of his exhibition at Betty Cuningham Gallery, New York, on view through March 29, 2014.

Bailey comments: "I think subtlety has to do with a way of seeing and what you value in what you see… The most important thing is for [viewers] to take time to let the paintings unfold. That holds true of both the figure paintings and the still lifes. The other thing I hope they will recognize is that my paintings seek a kind of silence. If you are looking for something that jumps around you won't find it. That is simply the character of the work. Also, people should understand that these are not meant to be realist paintings. They are about imagery."