The Abandoned Leona Faith in Wanchese Harbour

This painting has been sitting in an obscure part of my studio for 11 years. The trawler “Leona Faith”

during her demolition in Wanchese Harbour circa 2009.

Oil on canvas 16”X20”

ricknilson@gmail.com

 

Walking Spanish Deuce

Walking Spanish Mustangs.

Oil on canvas 10"X 30"

thanks for looking.

Kentucky Derby Day

Cokes's for horses.
Pencil sketches

Make Believe Strut (Shorebird in motion)(SOLD)

 In my bio I say that "I like to create big worlds with little brushes. This painting feels like  creating little worlds with big brushes". Too windy to risk an outside shot with better light. When this painting is finished I will take it off the frame, take the frame apart and mail both to a gallery framing store in DC and he will reassemble it there.
It is proving difficult to get a good photo of this. its windy outside and raining. I have refined some of the shapes and stayed true to my 5 foot brush on a 5 foot X 5 foot canvas

I have no reference material for this, so I named it thus. With a piece this big, you have to use big brushes, my favorite is the 5' cardboard cylinder with a 2" trim brush.  The coffee table in front keeps me away from the canvas.

Oil on canvas 5'X5' Commissioned Painting

The Timid Lamb

These are more of Dar Peckam's Sheep. Dar used to have a lot of beef cattle. Now his wife raises sheep. Fancy ones too.

 He is a legend, or at the very least a myth.

If you are an artist, please tell me when can you call yourself a legend? and not be a myth or a parody.

Oil on canvas 16"X12"
If you would like to purchase this send me an email.

Running Bird (SOLD)

Oil on canvas approx. 6"X6"
(SOLD to a repeat collector)

Sally, where'd you get your seafood from? (SOLD)

 I am posting this to show you how I start most of my paintings, and because I was too lazy to finish it and I want to draw this out till next year.

"Sally, where'd you get your liquor from?" Rev. Gary Davis

Oil on canvas 14"X10"

EightySix BlueCrab

I keep painting these guys and now I know its time to move on and say

"Going to leave these blues behind"

 .Oil on canvas sort of  23"X 9"
this painting is no longer available.

Come on MeowMix, please deliver (a study in Feline) (SOLD)

these are my rules for a successful piece of art.

1. If it comes easy, I tell myself, "please let it be".

2.If I have a happy accident, I tell everyone I meant to do that. Including myself, and I believe it.

3. I am confident that I can paint more like Rick Nilson than anyone else on the planet.

4. I don't care if you like me or my work. I used to, but I don't know you anymore.
5. I will be crushed if you don't like my paintings.

Oil on canvas 8"X20"

(SOLD to a collector in Memphis)

Chair Man on the Board

Oil on canvas 11"X14"

Lucky Old Sun

This is an ocean front home in Nag's Head, North Carolina.

Oil on canvas 10"X14"

The Honeymooners (it didn't work out)(SOLD)

I have a couple of easels, this one is my favorite. This is an old plotter stand with a piece of lvl attached and 3 12X12 tiles . It is on rollers. Works great. I am redoing a painting with dabs of orange.

This is my pallette of colors and where Mike Rooney told me to put them. I like it like this. I know just where to go to get mud. I keep a gallon of mineral spirits just to my right.

Sadly, when I started painting him, I realized that he couldn't make it without her. I will scrap him. Hopefully she can go on with some kind of life in a little beach cottage somewhere. I will keep the name as a reminder of their brief time together.

I have spent more time on these, is it progress?

I'm just painting shapes here. I struggle with warming the flesh tones.
Oil on canvas 10"X20" and 9"X20
The lady is sold.

Surf Dogs(SOLD)

I have painted on this a bit more.

Oil covering canvas 11"X14"
This painting is sold.

Toy Horse

For a while I painted something else, and then I painted this.

Oil on canvas 10"X10"