During his initial introduction to working at the Cedars Fine Arts Studios Reed focused exclusively on primary colors, correlating each specifically to the basic shapes of Circle Square and triangle.

Soon his lifelong interest in letters, words and phrases emerged. He began experimenting with using these as symbolic placeholders for complex and nuanced thoughts and feelings. 

For example, one of his more consistent projects begins by searching online for Sesame Street video titles, transcribing these into Word documents in highly ordered, alphabetized and color-coded lists, and eventually grouping these around specific themes.

Some of Reed's favorites are based on human and animal bodily functions, specific conditions such as danger, family relationships, and various emotional states.
Some themes undergo a further process of subject/verb conjugation that can eventually read as cryptic poems often reminiscent of E. E. Cummings work.

 
In addition Reed has explored manipulating his texts on typewriters and in hand written form always retaining color as an expressive tool. Occasionally he ventures beyond the limits of conventional perception exploring such concepts as, "What is the color of broken?"