Since his first one-man exhibition in 1970, Rick has worked continuously as a painter, holding numerous exhibitions in Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, and gaining an ever-increasing following along the way. International shows have been held in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and San Gimignano in Italy.

His paintings are generally oil and acrylic on board or canvas. His work is imbued with a sense of subtle light and a feeling for the peaceful ambience of particular places. His love of reflections, of patinas on walls, and interesting windows and doors, has persisted as subject material from the beginning of his career, but his earlier work also included beaches, hillsides, still life, portraits and a large series of paintings of children.

A painting trip to Italy in 1991 brought about a major shift in focus and change in subject matter. Annual trips to Italy, and also visits to Greece and France, have fuelled his passion for finding different subjects, and has produced a body of works that capture the very essence of these unique places.

For many years Rick and his wife Desley have run Rick’s Brisbane exhibitions from their own gallery space, most recently in Spring Hill. In 1999 this was sold, and they moved to a small town in Tuscany, to establish a studio in Italy. A long held dream of working in stone and bronze is also being realized in Italy, with a second studio for sculpture