Beth Reilly

Since childhood I have loved to create and delighted in the smell, texture and colors of my first medium – Crayola crayons.  Many years later I am inspired by the energies of color and light

and how they express and evoke feelings and experiences. My intent when painting is to capture a sense of stillness, a gentle memory or the whisper of a feeling before it slips away.

Currently my preferred mediums are oils, gouache and mixed media. In the past year I have begun plein air painting, becoming acquainted with its challenges and experiencing its beauty. My process in beginning a painting includes a general idea of the essence I hope to represent. The creative process then unfolds with the emerging painting at times asking ‘what if?’.  This can include the painting ‘taking over’ and altering the direction and focus of the piece, taking me where it wants to go. Trusting in the flow leads to surprising discoveries, both on the canvas and within myself.