The public is invited to the “Meet the Artist” reception this Thursday, Feb. 23, to honor the Artist of the Year, Lee Ricks. It will be held at Pleasanton City Hall. EXPRESS FILE PHOTO The Pleasanton Brush Country Art Club announces “The Artist of the Year” award to be celebrated Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Pleasanton City Hall. The public is invited to “Meet the Artist,” our own Lee Ricks, the “Artist of the Year,” from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Pleasanton City Hall.

The award will be presented to the artist by our Pleasanton City Manager, Bruce Pearson, followed by a ‘meet the artist’ hour in the city council room beginning at 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

An art display by Lee Ricks will hang in the Pleasanton City Hall throughout the month of March.

Lee Ricks chosen as “Artist of the Year”

THELMA CARDWELL-CALE

The year 1935 was a great year as Lee Ricks was welcomed on Feb. 22 by his parents, Lee Sr. and Mamie Ricks in Pleasanton.

Lee graduated from Pleasanton High School in May 1953, and from the University of Texas with a B.S. in Fine Art in 1957.

Beginning in 1957, Lee began his service in the U.S. Army and then served in the U.S. Reserves for seven years.

In December 1956 Lee married Barbara Jones and after graduation and serving at Fort Lee Virginia, they moved to Pleasanton in 1958, Lee’s hometown. Lee joined his dad in business and likes to tell people, “he had a day job for 35 years in the Ricks Co., to be able to afford being an artist.” Lee retired in 1992 to devote full time to art.

Lee and Barbara welcomed three sons, Lee III, Randal and Fletcher to their family and Lee was busy as President of Little League, Little Dribblers and PHS Athletic Boosters. Later, he served as president of the Rotary Club, the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce and Cowboy Homecoming parade chairman.

Lee helped design and build a paper maché longhorn cow for the Cowboy Homecoming parade.

With three sons playing in several sports, sometimes, Barbara went to one game and Lee to another to cheer for their sons.

Lee served as a past director for the First National Bank in Pleasanton.

The Atascosa County History Book group chose Lee to serve as their art consultant and illustrator. He donated his artwork for the posters used as fund raisers for the Atascosa County Sesquicentennial, and for the Pleasanton Methodist Church.

Lee worked on building the playground at the Pleasanton River Park and donated his great artwork for several Christmas ornaments to benefit the Atascosa County Historical Commission.

Recently he donated art work for the St. Andrews school auction and has given paintings and prints for many local fund raisers.

Lee began his art career with his interest starting at age five. He illustrated the P.H.S. school annual every year beginning in the 8th grade. In college, Lee was the art editor and associate editor of the “Texas Ranger’ magazine at the University of Texas.

Lee has been top on the buyer’s list for the yearly Alamo Kiwanis Club western art show in San Antonio for over 30 years.

In 1997, Lee celebrated First National recognition with the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies National juried exhibition in Tucson, Arizona. His painting was purchased by the chairman of the show.

His work for the National Arts for the Parks “top 100” in 1999, was accepted and made into a best selling poster.

In 2000, one of Lee’s paintings was accepted into a National Watercolor Society juried show. His paintings, (watercolors) were published in Splash 7 and Splash 9 books featuring the Best of Watercolors in our Nation.

Lee was selected poster artist for our Atascosa County Sesquicentennial and later for 2008-2009 Poster Artist for the “United Way” of their annual campaign.

Lee was selected for the Texas Watercolor Society five times, and won the juror’s award in the 2011 exhibition. He is a past president and current treasurer of this Texas Society where he is a Purple Sage” signature member.

The Texas House of Representatives in Austin recognized Lee for his professional achievements in art in 2011 and honored Lee with a resolution in the Texas House of Representatives.

Lee has helped and exhibited paintings in the Pleasanton “Birthplace of the Cowboy” Homecoming art show for 47 years and has donated door prizes for several years. He has given art demonstrations for our hometown art club and taught watercolor workshops, along with demonstrations all over South and Central Texas.

Lee wishes to give credit “to his wife, Barbara, and their three sons, Lee III, Randy and Fletcher for their support and encouragement through the years, to help his dreams to come true.”

He is loved and respected and is a shining star for Pleasanton.

Lee is truly one of the greats and we are proud to honor him as our “Artist of the Year” of our Pleasanton Brush Country Art Club.