Prior to this, Lyle had been a bassist, composer and singer for a rock band. For years he had come in contact and befriended many artists who frequented his mother's atelier in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. This would eventually become his gallery space. His first exhibition was for Garcia Cordero, whom Lyle often credits as having 'discovered' him rather than the customary art-dealer-discovers-artist scenario.

In the last decade, the gallery has organized over 100 exhibitions in galleries and museums worldwide. They have also participated in many prestigious contemporary art fairs in the U.S., Europe and Latin America. During this time they have gained a significant clientele of art collectors who follow and support their esthetics and artists, helping to increase their value in the global art market.
Mr. Reitzel explains, "The quality of the work in our gallery remains consistent with our vision, and we choose our artists carefully to convey our philosophy that art should remain in its purest form. The result is a fluid collection of work; each artist using their unique language to express their dynamic ideas."

The gallery boasts a robust group of contemporary and emerging artists, predominantly from within the diaspora of the Caribbean and Latin America, who express radical and intense imagery of sociological and existentialist themes. While the Lyle O. Reitzel Gallery features mostly painters, they welcome all types of artists who go against the mold of art trends and can contribute honest and original work. Key artists at the gallery include Luiz Cruz Azaceta, Jose Garcia Cordero, José Bedia, Gustavo Acosta, Edouard Duval-Carrié, Gerard Ellis, and Eleomar Puente.

Of particular interest to Mr. Reitzel right now is Cuban-American artist Luis Cruz Azaceta. He describes, "His acute and uncompromising vision challenges the standards of what is considered beautiful art, it is innovative, irreverent and timeless, and always surprises me."

The gallery holds about 6 to 8 exhibitions a year, a mix of both solo and group shows, in both their Santo Domingo space as well as their new Miami location, which opened in May 2006.

Currently showing at the Santo Domingo location through September 20th is Leonel Matheu: Formando Parte. The exhibition consists of 12 mixed-media paintings and a video art installation by Cuban artist Leonel Matheu. Matheu uses childhood-like imagery to relate the damaging effects of modern industrialization in a "grown up" world.

At the Miami gallery, they have recently launched Inside Miami Garden, a group show featuring artists using minimalist to bizarre approaches in order to provide a social commentary on the condition of humanity and existence in a volatile and convulsive world. Artists participating include: Raquel Paiewonsky, Gerard Ellis, Emilia Cunliffe, Jose Garcia Cordero, Jose Morales, Eleomar Puente and Carlos Quintana. The show opens September 9th and closes October 30th.