Rick Fleming reimagines celebrity and pop culture through signature humour and standout line work

“I love to sell my art and make the big bucks,” says Rick Fleming, an accomplished portrait artist, drummer, and former bodybuilder working at Austin, Texas’ Sage Studios. Quite the multi-talent, Rick focuses on sincere portraits of subjects ranging from Daniel Johnston to Joe Biden, the latter of which he was commissioned by the Biden administration to design an official tote bag. Quite the big bucks indeed.

Rick keeps his subjects down to earth. “I like to draw women, animals, wrestlers, and musicians,” he shares. “I love to draw Coke and Mountain Dew. It gets my body moving.” It’s difficult not to fall in love with his bold line work and ability to capture the essence of his subjects, layering thick paint onto alternative canvases such as vinyl records and wooden cutouts. Rick embodies a rock-and-roll spirit, not just in his big bucks but also within the outsider charm of his stark portraits – exhibiting works that feature The Grateful Dead, Prince, Janis Joplin and Tom Petty.