Rickey started painting in 2000 when he first felt the presence of the Archangel Michael (Mikéal), who was guiding him to paint as part of a healing process. Rickey promised at the beginning that if Mikéal would continue to help him, he would always sign Mikéal’s name and give him all the credit. For the first year he painted nearly 17 hours a day, much of the time in the dark, and he feels that the spirits were preparing him for this stage in his life. When he starts a painting, Rickey never knows what direction it will take, but when he is finished and signs Mikéal’s name, it seems that the story behind the painting is revealed to him. Rickey believes the spiritual aspects of all his paintings, whether Native American, landscapes, or Christian themes, have a common denominator. "There is a meaning beyond the visual. I believe there is healing power in each painting, some message for the soul."