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 and pursued the plein air approach of impressionist painters. In college he became exposed to a wider range of art movements and 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. During that period he resumed work in plein air and studio painting. He retired in 2021 and opened a studio in western North Carolina to paint full-time in 2022. He serves on the board of directors of Healthy Gulf and Highlander Research and Education Center.