A native of Wildwood, New Jersey, Rik is a self-taught artist who credits copying the Sunday Funnies, especially "Terry and the Pirates," and the covers of the Saturday Evening Post, for his early art training.

After graduating from high school, Rik was a staff artist for a weekly newspaper until enlisting in the US Navy in 1951.  During his naval career, he was a journalist, creating training aids and various cartoons and illustrations for the Norfolk Naval Base newspaper.

While in the Navy, he did stage work as an actor with the base players and decided to pursue an acting career.  He attended Pasadena Playhouse School of Dramatics in California upon discharge.  He discovered he had a voice for singing in grand opera and began serious study with private teachers.  He returned to Philadelphia in 1962 and sang major roles with the semi-professional Rittenhouse Opera Company.

Over the years, Rik never abandoned his "drawing board" and continued working as a Commercial Artist and as a cartoonist-illustrator for the old Philadelphia Bulletin, creating a daily cartoon for a feature entitled, Mr. Fixit."

Later, he was the creative/art director for a Cherry Hill, NJ advertising agency creating campaigns for various commercial clients throughout Southern New Jersey.

In 1972, he entered his first public art exhibit in New Jersey at the Batso Village Art Show, taking second place for his gouache painting of the Governor's Mansion in the village.  His solo show at the Frameworks, Ltd. Gallery in October 1987 included his wildlife acrylics and samplings of his illustration and cartooning works.

Other exhibits followed, including the Easton Gallery in PA, and various Wildlife Shows throughout the Mid-Atlantic states and at the NJ Department of Environmental Protection offices in Trenton.  He has received various awards for his work, most recently in the Camden County, NJ Senior Citizen Annual Juried Show where he garnered First Place.

Rik is a member of the Ocean City, NJ Art Center, Philadelphia Sketch Club, The New Jersey Water Color Society, the Millville, NJ Renaissance Art Center, The Center for the Arts in Marlton, NJ and the prestigious International Guild of Realism.  He also participates in various shows with Southern New Jersey art organizations.