San Antonio River Walk Collection  

All Artwork

Various Influences: Acrylic

Italy Series

Coastal Landscapes

Works range from quick sketches done on the spot, complete with artist's “field notes,” in diverse places such as Greece and Brazil — “I love to travel,” says Ricks — to pen-and-ink drawings and watercolor illustrations for books, to large canvases of acrylics and oils. Subjects range from Rosita's Bridge on the San Antonio River Walk to landscapes, harbor views, cityscapes and Southwestern imagery such as cactus and American Indians on horseback. Architecture, whether it's an Italian village or a Greek church or a Belize beach shack captured in “The Blue House,” is another favorite subject of Ricks'. One of the best paintings in the exhibition is a portrait of the old abandoned Big Tex Grain Co. in Southtown near the Blue Star complex. “I like buildings, structures,” he says, “and they're often great looking when they've been neglected.”