Rehoboth Beach artist Rick Lantz specializes in painting vivid, abstract pieces on canvas, surfboards and tropical objects, like tiki sculptures. He credits color and underwater seascapes with largely inspiring his vibrant artwork.

“I try to do some kind of art every day,” said Rick, who attended the Fort Lauderdale Art Institute.

Rick’s passion for the ocean, which synchronizes with his love for painting, ignited when he learned to surf at Fenwick Island at the age of 8. He has been around (or under) water ever since.

“I liked surfing around the Indian River Inlet. The south side of the inlet had a super-fast hollow wave, while the north side had more of a slope-type wave,” recounted Rick.

While he continued surfing and exploring colors through his painting over the years, Rick has also worked in professions that centered around the water. These positions, in turn, provided further inspiration for his artwork.

“I started as a commercial diver for an underwater-construction corporation. It was pretty dangerous, and many of the guys I worked with were ex-military or Navy Seals. I also worked on a sportsfishing boat. That was a fun job that allowed me to meet a lot of interesting people,” he said.