Bleu hosts world-renowned French Caribbean artist Sir Roland Richardson

Sir Roland Richardson | Photos by James Schnepf and Alexandre Julien | RolandRichardson.com

"I love to paint life!"

Sir Roland Richardson, French Caribbean Artist

On Wednesday, June 12, 2024, Bleu Provence and Bleu Provence Fine Wines was thrilled and honored to host world-renowned French Caribbean artist, Sir Roland Richardson. "I love to paint life!" he confessed to Bleu while setting up his artwork in a pop-up exhibit at Bleu Provence - hopefully to be the first of more to come!

Born in 1944 on the island of St. Martin to a family whose French Caribbean heritage dates back to the 1700's, Sir Roland Richardson has recorded his culture as a professional artist, painting for over sixty years. He reveals his exotic, luminescent subject by painting pictures exclusively "en Plein Air", always from a living subject.

Sir Roland Richardson and Laura Richardson at Bleu Provence | RolandRichardson.com

"Light, symbol universal of the Divine, ever will remain an inaccessible mystery!"

Sir Roland Richardson, French Caribbean Artist

Roland's French ancestors on St. Martin date back to the 1700s and King Louis XVI, the last king of France, prior to the French Revolution. Through the centuries, the Richardson family has been intricately involved in the establishment of government policy, the cultivation of major agricultural plantations, the introduction of modern utilities, telephone and electricity, and the evolution of aviation in this region of the world. Sir Roland is a descendent of slavery as well as nobility, and poignantly represents the beautiful blend of many races, many cultures, and many continents that has emerged as a cultural heritage unique unto itself – Caribbean Creole.

"The entire region of the Caribbean is blessed with a warm, glorious light manifesting in myriad, vibrant color."

Sir Roland Richardson, French Caribbean Artist

While his roots are in the Caribbean, universities around the world have taught aspiring artists about Sir Roland Richardson's contributions to Plein Air Impressionism. Throughout his long career, Sir Roland has been characterized as the “Father of Caribbean Impressionism.” He has been profiled in reputed periodicals that include the New York Times, the Washington Post, Elle, American Airlines Latitudes, Robb Report, Caribbean Travel & Life and Island Magazine.