Rick Worthington

Rick Worthington is a contemporary impressionist painter based in Elora, Ontario. Born and raised in small-town Ontario, he has long been fascinated by the way light and colour can transform familiar landscapes and everyday places.

Working both en plein air and in the studio, Rick develops his paintings through direct observation, colour studies, photographs, and memory. He is less interested in faithfully reproducing a scene than in capturing its atmosphere and emotional character. Through expressive brushwork, heightened colour, and a balance of subtle and exaggerated contrasts, he seeks to convey the experience of being in a particular place and moment.

Rick is especially drawn to intimate moments within broader environments—the changing light across a landscape, the activity of a street or café, and the quiet character of places encountered close to home and while travelling. His work reflects the influence of Impressionist painters Claude Monet and Joaquín Sorolla, as well as his study with American plein air painter Kevin Macpherson.

Rick’s paintings are held in the permanent collection of the Centre Wellington Museum and in private collections throughout North America and Europe. His awards include first place in Plein Air Magazine’s Plein Air Salon Competition in the Plein Air Water category and first place in Modern Impressionist Magazine’s October/November 2023 Salon. He received an Honourable Mention at the 2025 Elora Plein Air Festival and has earned additional awards at plein air events in Toronto and Belleville and through the Ontario Plein Air Society. His work has appeared in juried exhibitions including the Sooke Fine Arts Show, the TD Victoria Art Gallery Paint-In, and the Insights Juried Art Show.

Alongside his studio and plein air practice, Rick teaches painting workshops throughout Southern Ontario, sharing his enthusiasm for colour, expressive brushwork, and learning from the masters.