Draft:Rick McCarthy

• Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest policy, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. Alirezaatarian (talk) 01:44, 22 June 2025 (UTC)

---

[](https://www.rickmccarthytheartist.com/)

• • Rick McCarthy** (born September 1941, Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian postwar and contemporary artist known for his expressive figurative and abstract works across painting, printmaking, drawing, and mixed media. He currently lives and works in Toronto, Ontario.

---

1. 1. 1. 🎨 Early Life and Education

• Born in Montreal in September 1941. ([rickmccarthytheartist.com][1])
• Graduated from the Ontario College of Art in 1963; pursued postgraduate studies in printmaking. ([rickmccarthytheartist.com][1])
• In 1965, introduced a printmaking program for Inuit artists in Baker Lake, Northwest Territories. ([artvalue.ca][2])

---

1. 1. 1. Career Overview

1. 1. 1. 1. Studio Practice

• McCarthy's work centers on the human figure, ranging from Renaissance-inspired portraits to abstracted figurative compositions. His media include oils, acrylics, prints, drawings, and mixed media. ([cowleyabbott.ca][3])

1. 1. 1. 1. Exhibitions

• • Solo Exhibitions** include:

• *Return of a Legend* (2024, Sahar K. Boluki Gallery, Toronto)
• *New Works* (2013–2015, Art Avenue Gallery, Toronto)
• *Fighters* (2011, Jet Fuel) and *Flowers* (2010, Jet Fuel, Toronto)
• Earlier shows in Toronto, Calgary, and New York dating back to the 1970s. ([rickmccarthytheartist.com][4])

• • Group Exhibitions & Institutional Recognition**

• His work featured in the Society’s Annual Auction of Important Canadian Art (2008, 2009, 2011).
• Participated in *More Than Flesh* (2010, University of Toronto) and *400 Years of the Nude in Canada* (1982). ([rickmccarthytheartist.com][4])

---

1. 1. 1. Collections and Teaching

1. 1. 1. 1. Collections

• Public collections include: Art Gallery of Hamilton, Canada Council Art Bank, McMaster Museum of Art, Museum London, Royal Bank of Canada, University of Toronto Art Centre, among others. ([rickmccarthytheartist.com][4])
• Works held in private collections such as those of Margaret Atwood, Thomas Dungey, and David P. Silcox. ([rickmccarthytheartist.com][4])

1. 1. 1. 1. Academic Career

• Served as a drawing and painting instructor at Ontario College of Art, Seneca College, Art Gallery of Ontario, and others from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. ([rickmccarthytheartist.com][4])

---

1. 1. 1. Publications & Media

• Featured in the book *The Collector and The Artist: The Thomas Dungey Collection of Rick McCarthy’s Art* (celebrating both the artist’s and collector’s 80th birthdays). ([rickmccarthytheartist.com][5])
• Subject of the 2009 documentary film *Rick McCarthy: Martial Artist*, spotlighting his Shotokan Karate background and the influence of martial discipline on his art. ([rickmccarthytheartist.com][5])

---

1. 1. 1. Auction Record & Market Presence

• His works have appeared at Sotheby’s and Waddington’s in Toronto, with pieces like *Red Bag* (2002) and *Floral Still Life* (2010) featured in major auctions. ([artsy.net][6])
• Auction records reflect sales ranging from approximately CAD 250–500 for prints and works on paper, with oil paintings reaching up to CAD 378. ([artvalue.ca][2])

---

1. 1. 1. Personal Notes

• A Hanshi (8th dan black belt) in Shotokan Karate, McCarthy integrates the philosophy and aesthetics of martial arts into his work. ([rickmccarthytheartist.com][1])
• His art has been described as idiosyncratic and emotionally intense—invoking comparisons to Bacon, Van Gogh, Goya, and El Greco—and often characterized by disturbing, powerful imagery.

---

1. 1. 1. Selected Works

Some notable pieces include:

• *Venus with Mirror* (1983, oil on canvas; auctioned at Heffel for CAD 378) ([artvalue.ca][2])
• *Red Bag* (2002, oil on canvas; auctioned at Waddington’s)
• *Floral Still Life* (2010)
• Recent works sold via Sahar K. Boluki Gallery: *Untitled* (2023) oil on canvas (\~US \$4,500) and oil on wood (\~US \$5,800). ([artsy.net][7])

---

1. 1. 1. Legacy

Rick McCarthy remains a provocative and prominent figure in contemporary Canadian art, acclaimed for his fusion of raw emotional power, martial discipline, and figurative expression. His work continues to attract gallery exhibitions, academic attention, and collector interest well into the 21st century.

---

• • References**

Info compiled from McCarthy’s official site (Biography, Exhibitions, News), Artsy auction data and gallery listings, ArtValue, and MutualArt.

[1]: https://www.rickmccarthytheartist.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Home | Rick McCarthy" [2]: https://artvalue.ca/artist/Rick-McCarthy/value/6671797/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Rick McCarthy - Art Value" [3]: https://cowleyabbott.ca/artist/rick_mccarthy?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Art Auction Sales for Rick McCarthy at Cowley Abbott" [4]: https://www.rickmccarthytheartist.com/exhibitions-collections?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Exhibitions | Rick McCarthy" [5]: https://www.rickmccarthytheartist.com/general-clean?utm_source=chatgpt.com "News | Rick McCarthy" [6]: https://www.artsy.net/artist/rick-mccarthy/auction-results?utm_source=chatgpt.com "artsy.net/artist/rick-mc..." [7]: https://www.artsy.net/artwork/rick-mccarthy-untitled-3?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Rick McCarthy | Untitled (2023) | Available for Sale | Artsy"