Stephen Rice (Mi Yichen, 米翊宸), MFA

My paintings often begin quietly, as a way to work through what I won’t express in words. They grow from moments of reflection, from memories, questions, and pain that find their way into line and color.

I grew up in Yakima, Washington, and spent 15 years studying, working, and painting in China. Those experiences changed how I see and create. My work often carries the openness of home and the discipline I learned abroad.

Many pieces are a way to bring those worlds together, to confess what I’ve carried, and to share something that might speak to someone else.