Larry Groff interviews painter Jeffrey Reed whose work is on view at Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia through September 28, 2013.

Discussing working outdoors in rapidly changing weather conditions, Reed comments: "I do like being outside when the light and weather are changing. I have lost some paintings certainly, but I have also saved some paintings because I was presented with new options. It is not unusual for me to change a sky several times during the course of a painting, if what I paint at first doesn’t work with the composition. A change in the weather or just turning around to see the sky behind me might offer better compositional choices. However, the painting has to be consistent and believable. Ultimately paintings have to stand on their own merits, not just be a record of what was seen. Having a clear objective in a painting is also very helpful. It’s nice when what I’m looking at and what the painting needs are the same, but it is rare. There is always some invention."