Big Headed Woman, Acrylic on canvas, 24"W x 30"H

With the roller coaster of health caused by AIDS, Rick had recovered in July 1997, to a point where he could walk again and his weight exceeded 150 pounds. By December 1997, however, his weight fell to 118 pounds and he was using a wheelchair within the house. In December, he started a new four-drug antiviral combo and his weight increased to 135 pounds by mid-January, 1998.

On March 23, 1998, he completed and delivered Angel in Blue, a 24"x36" acrylic on canvas painting which would be exhibited at the Zachary Scott Theatre Center in Austin during their run of the Tony Kushner AIDS-themed play "Angels in America". Later that night, Rick suffered a seizure and was hospitalized.

Within a few weeks, he was on a stable anti-seizure regimen and he completed Big Headed Woman on April 18, 1998. He would later give the painting Angel in Blue to his mother.