Meet Rick J. Delanty | Professional Fine Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rick J. Delanty and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rick, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Early on I realized, in creating my own artworks as a young person, that Art has the distinct capacity to communicate beauty, wisdom and love from one person to another.

When I was a small boy, my mom would take me on walks in the neighborhood, under the tall eucalyptus trees, beside the fields of tall grass, in the shadow of stately homes, and near the gardens where birds sang continually. With her simple act of drawing them to my attention, she kindled an appreciation for life within me that has never gone out, and since then has sought its avenue in the creation of artworks about creation.
This daily pursuit to create has opened a window on the newness and beauty of life for me, as expressed through the work process itself, what I learn about surroundings, and the treasure of the knowledge that artists, both living and deceased, have passed on to me. I cannot imagine my passion for life, beauty and art evaporating or even diminishing in the slightest, as long as I live.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
“Expressionistic realism” is the term I would use in describing how I am communicating my feelings about a variety of subjects, mostly relating to how I see the relationship of earth to heaven. Design, art principles and color relationships are as important to me in painting my landscapes as the sense of place. I want to create a “suggested reality,” that describes the meeting edge of the physical and metaphysical. What I really want to do in my paintings is express my subjects with a poetic simplicity that would mirror this philosophy of Aristotle: “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
Consequently, the form of the paintings I do are not thoroughly and realistically defined—the viewer is invited to bring personal visions and experiences in to complete the artwork.

Regarding my course into life and work as a professional artist, I would certainly not say that it was easy. Art is long, and sometimes hard. It is my inner passion for Creation, my love of working creatively, and the “pull” of self-improvement and growth that manifests itself when one works hard that keeps me going. I believe that God is with me in this trial of expansion, of skills, of mind, of dedication to an idea–and Ideal.

I have learned that God has brought me thus far, and He will not leave me now. I have learned that whatever I put in, I will get out. I have learned that my family and people mean more than anything, even my work.

I would want people who see my work to feel that Nature Itself created it, that God’s attributes may be seen in it, that a passion for life, Art, and others fuels its creation. I view my art-making as a ministry, and hope that people who meet me and see my work will see God and His glory first and foremost. Handel’s inscription at the end of each of his musical compositions inspires me: “Soli Deo Gloria.”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would jump in the car and drive to Big Sur, for a hike up and down the waves, the beaches, the mountains. We would have long talks as we stood under the cypress trees in Carmel, and paint with our feet in the sand. We would drive to meet some of my artist friends to check out their studios and paint with them. We would visit museums to talk about what the painters would be saying to both of us. We would visit churches, to absorb the silence, and pray together about our lives, our work, our families. At night, we would sit on the cliffs and watch the waves come in, from a long, long way away.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
No artist creates work in a vacuum, and no artist stands alone in the reception of his/her artwork by society. There have been so many who have supported me along the way: family, friends, artists, collectors and all kinds of well-wishers. That said, it was my mother, Lura, who drew my attention first to God’s Creation, and thereby to my own.

It is my wife Lynn who is my partner not only in my art career, but who aids and sustains me as an artist emotionally and spiritually, simply by listening, supporting, and caring about what is important to me—I hope I am doing the same for her.

Website: www.delantyfineart.com

Instagram: @rickj.delanty

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdelantyfineart/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rickjdelanty

Image Credits
Rick J. Delanty