ABOUT RICK
My process in both life and art is about exploration and pushing past perceived limitations to continuously expand my vision of what’s possible. Through my work, I strive to contribute to a shift in consciousness that leans toward a more balanced, harmonious, and compassionate world.
BIO
I began my career in 1992 as a ceramicist, then shifted to multimedia sculpture in 1994 and remained rooted in the genre for over two decades. My work during that period was centered around environmental awareness and pop culture.
In the span of twenty-plus years, I had the honor of being commissioned to create custom works for the likes of Audi, The Smithsonian, Actress Leisha Hailey of The L Word, Vanity Fair Editor and Designer Lisa Eisner, Photographer Bruce Weber, Free City Founder Nina Garduno, Captain Charles Moore, Founder of the Algalita Research Foundation, the City of Long Beach California, and countless private clients.
My sculptural work has been featured in exhibitions at the L.A. Municipal Art Gallery, Watts Towers Cultural Center, La Luz De Jesus Gallery L.A., Hive Gallery L.A., Lois Lambert Gallery at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach Airport, The Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, California State University Long Beach, California State University Fullerton, and many more.
In 2007, I became the Art Director for FreeCity, the iconic L.A. lifestyle emporium. I was charged with creating the visuals that helped define the look and feel of the supershops in Malibu, Hollywood, and Venice, as well as the installations for the annual L.A. fashion week events held at the flagship store in Hollywood.
In 2017, I made a major shift, leaving behind studio life to travel full-time. This is when I took a deeper dive into illustration; a medium I’d been working with as a way to pass time for the seven years I rode the train from my homebase in Long Beach to my Free City studio in Hollywood.
The first illustration I posted on social media went viral (Native American Proverb 1, which was inspired by the No DAPL/Standing Rock movement). Many were to follow suit, as the work seems to define — and help put into context— a rapidly changing world.
These days I’m best known for my black and white pen and ink drawings focused on themes of social and climate justice. My mission with this body of work is to expand awareness around the critical issues of our time and to play with cultural touchstones while empowering people to live their best lives.
It is here that I happily dwell 30+ years into a career that is ever-evolving and always expanding.
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