Learning of Rick's passing this week was deeply saddening news for me. He and I worked together in LA and became friends working on the same accounts. I spent many late evenings in his office discussing creative, looking at the comps he'd put up on the wall and deciding what we felt worked best and why. He was always open to ideas and had a genuine honesty that was warm and encouraging, and at the same time, true to his creative integrity.
Rick's creative energy was so vibrant it felt tangible, like you could just jump into his jetstream and get carried through his creative process and understand how it all came together through his eyes. He had a remarkable brilliance that way and taught me that if anything is worth doing, it's worth being a reflection of your best self.
I always enjoyed seeing what he was designing or building and was so impressed with his sense of doing things his way just for the sake of making something beautiful. I remember him showing me the photos of how he transformed his downtown flat into a remarkable live/workspace. He loved the view of the city at night.
Rick had a profound effect on my work and always had the right words. I tried to contact Rick a few times this past year, just to tell him I missed him and how much he meant to me as a friend and collaborator. He was a kind of guiding light in my life who showed me there is something divine within all of us in a way I still truly believe. I will miss him very much.
