"There have been many times when I have been very close to the facets of variable Kansas; it is in my paintings that I try to express my closeness and man's basic oneness with nature. The visual forms of nature in infinite variation and changes are a constant source of both stimulation for my painting. All of the arts in one way or another, some to greater or lesser extent, interpret life. Art is the result of a process, a way of living, a record of life. Each effective work of art is a picture of a sensitive human being’s involvement in life. Communication is one of mankind's valuable accomplishments. There are many kinds of ideas and feelings which can only be communicated through painting. Art has the responsibility and the privilege of sharing this significant experience with others. Not to paint, as Renoir has said, would be unbearable to me." -Gertrude Furney
