Reilly Morse
A lifelong Mississippian, Morse began painting in 1972 in the studio of Dalton Shourds King. He was inspired by direct encounters with coastal woods and maritime scenes. He pursued the plein air approach of impressionist painters then became exposed to a wider range of art movements. In 1977-78 he spent a year in Aix-en-Provence where he studied with Maggie Siner and professors at the Université d’Aix-Marseilles. In 1980 he entered law school and practiced law for 38 years, the last 16 as a public interest lawyer. Along the way, he resumed work in plein air and studio painting. He retired in 2021, opened a studio in 2022 in western North Carolina, and moved there in 2025.