Meet Rick Osborn of North

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rick Osborn.

Hi Rick, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
“A True Work of Art Is But a Shadow of Divine Perfection!” ~ Michelangelo

Many people have asked me how I began painting over the years. This quote by Michelangelo brings this to mind. Not that I was attempting to grasp for divine perfection out of the blue, although I think we all could use a dose of that; at the time, in 2005, I felt troubled due to the passing of my grandmother Kitty. Maybe I was grasping for the Divine out of my “blue”! This “blueness” inspired me to pick up a brush and some oils for the first time. Out of a desire to venerate my grandmother, I created a portrait of her. When I was done, I was left with a remarkable likeness and a window to the other side, maybe even a “shadow of the Divine” and a glimpse of her beyond. Not only that, it set me on a voyage of discovery in creating art that continues to inspire and amaze me to this day. I would never claim that my art is perfect or even divine perfection, but I believe there are shadows of it here and there mainly because all talent comes from God! Every time I paint, I feel in touch with my Creator. To create reflects Him, as we were created in His image.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think everything in life is full of challenges and struggles, no matter what you do. As for my journey through the art world, it’s been more of an adventure of discovery and wonder. Beginning my venture into art later in life (in my late 30’s) and being self-taught, I think the primary struggle was educating myself on the different types of media, how to use and develop specific techniques, and also learning rudimentary things surrounding the painting process life “fat over lean” when painting with oils.

My biggest struggle over the years has been trying to get to a place where I feel like I’ve arrived professionally as an artist. I used to put a lot of pressure on myself to sell, sell, sell. Initially, I think I was created hoping my art would have enough relevance to be sellable. At some point, I quit painting for others and started to try to develop my voice and style in my paintings. Now, I feel like I’m coming into my own.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In May of 2005, my grandmother Kitty, whom I had known and loved my whole life, passed away at 93. Since hers was the first close experience with death, I took her passing with great difficulty. Over the following month, I felt that there must be something that I could do both to memorialize her and to overcome the crushing grief that I was feeling so strongly. Call it a whim or even a nudge from God, but the notion of doing a portrait of her landed squarely upon my mind.

That day, I drove to a Michael’s Store and purchased my first set of oils and painting supplies. Of course, I had no clue how to paint, so I also bought a couple of instructional books about painting with oils.

From there, the rest is history. That portrait of my grandmother was my very first painting. And each stroke I made on that canvas was healing my grieving soul. Eventually, as I painted it, and to my surprise, I saw my grandmother appear before my eyes on that canvas. In the painting, I placed her in a red dress (her favorite color) and decked her in gold earrings and a necklace. In my mind, this is how I envisioned her in Heaven. When the painting was complete, it was as if I had a window to where she now resided. By painting her, I could release my grief and find peace after her passing. This also began my fascination with the color RED, but I’ll get to that in a moment.

What’s Up with All the Red?
It’s a valid question and one that I hear a lot. If you look at my paintings, you’ll see a good bit of red in most of them, some more than others. The truth is, I started using a red background when painting intuitively. Honestly, I don’t have a good answer as to WHY I started using a red background, other than it was intuitive. I love the effect it has in harmonizing my paintings and the way it creates a dramatic visual vibration. Many painters use colored backgrounds to flavor or set the mood of their paintings. For me, red seems to dominate.

If you came to my house, you’d see red accents everywhere. There’s just something about red that shakes you up and is powerful. There’s a lot of history and psychology behind the color, but I won’t bore you with those details. The great thing about red is that you can use it in your paintings to punch the viewer in the face or to subtly make things dance a bit as they’re being observed. Some people may not prefer it, but I find that most really like it and don’t even know why. You can be the judge – it pervades my paintings, even if you don’t realize it.

Art as a Therapy?
When I paint, my soul soars. I leave this world and enter another – one of wonder, excitement, adventure, healing, and possibility. For me, creating art is therapy. It provides a soothing balm to my soul, just as it did when I created my first painting of my grandmother Kitty. It’s also transcendent and has echoes of the Divine. This may sound a bit strange, but when I paint and create art, I feel I can tap into something bigger than myself, something more important than myself, something with more meaning than myself. Sometimes it feels almost supernatural, like God Himself takes over and helps me create. Perhaps it’s because, when I regard a finished painting, I look at it in wonder and amazement – in awe that I made it. That’s not to say that I believe my work is better than anyone else’s, but I still feel so humbled and shocked that I had it in me to create it!

When I stand and look at a blank canvas before beginning work, I often scratch my head and wonder how I will achieve the result. I can start with the end in mind, with a plan, with a strategy, etc. (which I highly recommend, by the way), but invariably what I end up with is something unplanned, something more exciting, something unexpected. This is the magic in the process, the spark of the Divine that sets me apart from everyone else. It’s exciting and keeps me coming back for more.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
My suggestion would be to look at art, the masters, and your peers – those who are creating art today. There is so much amazing talent out there. I think we all gravitate towards those we admire. We learn from them and incorporate some of their essences into our creations. No artist exists in a vacuum. I think it’s important to paint with fellow artists from whom we can learn. I also believe it is important to help others in the process. As for networking, I’m not sure I have the best answer. I know that the more exposure you have, the better your chances of selling your art and making a living.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.RickOsbornart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickosbornart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rickosbornart
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/rickosborn

Image Credits
All images by Rick Osborn