Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jack Reilly. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jack, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
It all started out as a teenage surfer seeking the perfect wave and making surfboards in the garage. Friends would ask me to paint designs and pictures on their surfboards. I never really considered my self to be an artist, but out of necessity I would create colorful images on the boards, and as I found myself falling in love with painting, I began to take the work so seriously that I sold all my possessions and went to Paris to study art and see the great museums. The experience changed my life and when I returned home, I enrolled in college as an art major. Years later, after receiving my MFA, I drove across country in a 1962 Rambler station wagon with $300 in my pocket and arrived in Los Angeles. This marked the beginning of my first real experiences into becoming a lifelong artist.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a longstanding contemporary artist having mounted over fifty solo exhibitions and countless group shows in galleries and museums. Best known as an abstract painter, my work focuses on shaped canvas structures, primarily combining geometric shapes and color field painting. After moving to Los Angeles, I set up a studio in a garage in Venice, and after working a number of funky jobs around town, I was fortunate to meet legendary Los Angeles gallerist, Molly Barnes. She gave me my first solo exhibition and a start to what would become a lifetime career as an exhibiting painter. My recent work involves the exploration of circular shaped canvases which act as a metaphor for the mysteries of time and space and ultimately our place in this universe.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Creating work that is unique and clearly identified as my own style would distinguish me from my contemporaries and was an important part of the process. Once I realized that I would spend my life as an artist, I worked tirelessly setting my goals, developing my artistic skills, and learning the workings of the art world. The ultimate mission was then to establish myself and do whatever it took to become part of the fabric of the time and place of Art in Los Angeles.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
Of course none of us know how long we will be around. A person can’t really depend on statistics to accurately project their life span. Many variables exist. Regarding that point, say if I only had a decade left, I would continue my artistic journey day by day and try to create a harmonic flow through my remaining time. The final goal wouldn’t be primarily to leave a mark on the world, but to leave the world with self respect and dignity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jackreilly.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackreillyart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackreillyart/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackreillyart/
- Twitter: @jackreillyart
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jackreillyart
Image Credits
1-2-4 Andee Marz
3-5-6-7-8 Jack Reilly
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