Despite changes in family life, school and education were always stressed by his
family. David complied, even to the point of attending architecture school. However,
his free, adventurous spirit won out. Hitchhiking with a "rucksack" (and his art, I might add),
Rickerby's travels to weastern Europe would open the doors to his expanding mind of art.

Picking fruit, sweeping kitchens, lifting crates, pouring concrete, cooking food,
digging ditches, cleaning stables, and busking,(singing for tips), were the ways,
means, and setting, for opportunities to do art. Think, Marrakech Express,
Magic Bus, this is the place, and this is the time. Art! Rickerby painted murals on
buildings, and in buildings, across Europe, and to India, and back. He also did
commissioned work, a series of twenty one watercolors in Israel, and a
muralized WWII bunker in Palatka, Florida. But, that's not the whole story.

Upon arriving back in England, Rickerby contemplated what in the world would
appease his curiosity, and satisfy his soul. Skydiving, was that something. his
mind had taken him there, but the body had not yet followed. England is not the ideal
place to learn about skydiving, in part, because of the weather. He met an old skydiver,
who suggested he go to Florida.

Traveling to Florida, Rickerby bought a school bus. He lived and worked out of the
bus, painting, and becoming well known in the skydiving world. The bus became known as
INSANITY CENTRAL, with T-shirt designs, pop tops, murals, oils on canvas, absolutely
whatever! Every skydiver wanted their own, true, 'Rickerby' design, to ensure their
skydiving gear was VERY identifiable! However, skydiving wasn't his only venture in artwork.

He has held one man shows in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Chicago, other major cities in the USA,
and in our own living room . Over a twenty year period in the states , Rickerby has produced
video and computer designs for: "Skydive 101 ", (a training video ), Tony Uragello's " Free Flying ",
and a promo for Performance Designs, (a parachute manufacturer in Deland ). In my opinion,
Rickerby should be considered a 'Renaissance' man of our time.

In those 20 years, he has gained quite a reputation for being a madman, a bandit jumper,
and an example of what one's mother might tell you "not to be". However, this has inspired
many people, who have met him, to try new things, and open new doors. He did some early
work in 'high speed' formations, (horizontally, as well as vertically), known a 'Tracking
Relative Work'), and a current craze in skydiving, Free Flying. In his rapid world, he
discovered his true medium; oils on canvas. I believe if you give Rickerby a canvas,
(or the side of a building), some paint, and brushes ................
you'd be on your way to a masterpiece.

Original: ams 12 mar 2000
Edited: Capt36 04 apr 00