People may wonder why I teach mainly to “beginner” and “intermediate” painting classes. Why not hold more advanced workshops? The answer is simple. I don’t believe in the concept of “advanced.” If we are good, we are always dealing with fundamental issues when we paint. The best of us have mastered these methods of seeing and mark making. I find even so called “advanced” students are often unaware of the concepts of the Reilly method. This is particularly true here in Charleston, where I seem to be the only proponent of the method. So I am in a sense, championing this commonsense approach. The more people I can introduce it to, the better, because it is the most logical and efficient manner of making a painting. 

On some level, we are always at the beginning, if we are truly open to exploration. The beginner’s brain is filled with wonder and curiosity. They don’t bring with them a lot of baggage and bad habits. Also, these lessons are part of my democratization of art project, making the creative process available to everyone. The Reilly method starts with the larger shapes first which makes so much sense to me and others who swear by this system. Drawing with the brush is easy when you understand that shapes have volume. Identifying an envelope containing the shapes produces the most accurate drawing. Whereas sequential or linear methods don’t produce as accurate a result. The concept that these larger shapes are related to one another and can be broken down into the smaller shapes once these larger relationships are established is the heart of the Reilly drawing method. It is also by far the easiest way to start into painting. The under-painting is designed to be flexible. Corrections in drawing and value are very easy in this initial stage because we are dealing with thin, transparent layers. The system of organizing color by value is very logical, though not as sexy as the impressionist palette or those other palettes arranged by hue. Success is never a guarantee, but I make sure my student’s stay on track and get what they need to be successful. The value-based system itself has so many fail safes in place. My modifications have only improved the ease of the system. That’s why I call it the Power of Positive Painting. I invite you to get the book and read it. There is also a soft cover available.

If you’d like to understand this method more, I urge you to take a class in the Charleston area, I am teaching a five-session set of classes and also a one-day workshop. Spots are filling up fast.