Reynolds Beal was born in New York City to a family of means. He attended Cornell University, where he studied naval architecture. In the 1890s his serious artistic training began with William Merritt Chase in Shinnecock, Long Island. Shortly thereafter he traveled to Europe, spending most of his time in Madrid and traveling with his brother, Gifford, another painter, or with H. Dudley Murphy and Childe Hassam. The artistic encouragement these men gave each other was an important component of their training.

In 1919 Beal was selected along with Hassam, William Glackens and other prestigious American painters to exhibit at the Luxembourg in Paris, one of the greatest honors for an American artist at the time. Beal’s independent means meant he could take greater risks than other artists who had to make a living from their work. This freedom allowed Beal to experiment with such styles as Impressionism and Tonalism and eventually even modernist technique and form. His subject matter always revolved around the water. For the most part he painted playful and fun-filled works that were quite popular. He became known for his colorful depictions of delightful subjects – in some circles he was called the “American Chagall.”

For many years, Beal lived in Massachusetts, both in Rockport and Gloucester. His subject matter was often scenes from these locales. In fact, Beal’s studio overlooked Rockport’s Inner Harbor, which became a favorite subject.  He also painted scenes from various places down the eastern seaboard, from New York all the way to Miami.

Beal exhibited at the Clauson Gallery and the Kraushaar Gallery, both in New York. He was an active participant in the Salmagundi Club, Lotus Club, Century Club, and the National Academy of Design and the American Watercolor Society. He also helped found the Society of Independent Artists and the New Society of Artists.