RIVER OF LIFE Collage

After many years working as an Electronics Technician in the defense industry, I retired in 2014. I'm a very active free spirited single guy (never married) who attends to a wide range of physical activities and personal interests: working out at the gym, bike hiking, bodyboarding (a form of surfing), reading history books, playing the guitar and much more. While attending a non-denominational church called The Bridge in Lindenhurst New York around 2010, I received a very unusual invocation to begin applying myself to visual art. The Bridge Church is no longer around, and I am no longer affiliated with any form of organized religion. Nevertheless I continue to live a life enriched by the unconditional and extravagant love of the living God. I would categorize myself as a non-religious Christ follower- spiritual but not religious. My artwork often exhibits gratitude to the Great Creator and appreciation for all He created. I also show respect and reverence to the much persecuted and gravely misunderstood Native Americans. I would classify my artwork as "mixed media" making use of colored pencils, acrylic paints, magic markers and enamels, with the generous use of collages whenever a lot of detail must be applied to a small space. My art is done on high quality illustration boards, usually 22 inches by 30 inches. My influences include the Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch and Michelangelo. I try to capture the complexity of a Bosch panel painting with the perfection and spirituality of Michelangelo. It's a tall order to try to emulate the creative genius of the great Michelangelo, but I do what I do and hope that people enjoy it and get something out of it. Thank you for reading my bio. Neal David Reilly