Pursuing my passion

       I am stunned and saddened with the unexpected passing of master artist Rick Howell. He put his heart and soul into his paintings which many times resulted in the viewer being brought to tears from the emotional quality of his work. Rick captured the beauty and essence of a scene faster than any plein air painter I have ever seen and did it with such expertise. What an awesome talent! Not only was he a wonderful friend but my mentor. In a little over a year that I have been in his mentoring program he has transformed the way I work and helped me to reach goals I only dreamed about. I think his mentoring students would attest to the fact that he gave us all he had and more. We all felt the same giving nurturing spirit that guided his life. Rick lived a life of integrity and had such a passion for sharing his knowledge. I'm deeply grateful and honored to have known Rick. My heart goes out to his family and friends as we go through this most difficult time. God bless you Rick! We'll miss you!