Hello, my name is Rick Petersen and art has been a lifetime hobby, but it has not always been a constant endeavor as it has taken a “backseat” many times in life. I attended a technical school in the late 70s, where I learned architectural design and drafting. After that, I intended to pursue architectural design, but instead, I ended up working for over 40 years in the field of plumbing and fire protection engineering. For a period of time in the 80s, I took a break from engineering and worked in various occupations, including building and remodeling, sheet metal fabrication and stone masonry (I wanted to learn how to work with wood, metal and stone). I have to say that I was also fascinated with auto mechanics and I’ve always had a strong interest in how things are constructed and how mechanical things work!

I did some airbrushing back in the 80s, at which time, I did some custom painting on some of my own vehicles. This included some flames, murals and pinstriping.

In 2004, I decided to enroll in a “visual communications” program at a local college, which I completed after two years while simultaneously working full-time as an plumbing engineer. This was a very difficult and extremely significant time for me! My classes at school introduced me to the realm of digital art and I became proficient with ‘Adobe Photoshop’ and ‘Adobe Illustrator’ software. I bought a tablet and started painting digitally. I used my new design and software skills to create some logos, business cards and signs for family and some local businesses.

Currently, my main interest is in painting using traditional materials and methods. My drawings now are mainly aimed at developing concepts, ideas and elements that I plan to paint! Some of my drawings are pretty rough; some are a bit more developed; rarely will I produce what I consider to be a “finished” drawings.” I do find that I need my drawings to be finished enough to guide me into the painting stage, but I also find that surprising things happen in the paint stage that sometimes cause me to depart from or expand on what I drew initially. As far as painting is concerned, I like working in watercolors, but I also plan to work more in acrylics and oils. I want to explore and advance my skills using various mediums!

I draw inspiration from many sources, but frequently from other artist’s work. I like visual storytelling (illustration) based on stories, myths, legends, etc., whether based on reality or imagined. Some of my favorite artists are Frank Frazetta, Boris Vallejo, Keith Parkinson, John Howe, Todd Lockwood, Philip Castle, Ron Tiner, Roger Dean, Rowena Morrill and many others who produced amazing drawings and illustrations for comic books, paperback book covers, album covers for 70s rock bands, etc.. I’m dating myself here, but these are the images I grew up with and they made a lasting impression