Have Not Heard About Local Artist Sir Richardson I

Is he still painting? My wife and I met him while he was painting in Grand Case, He is a Island Treasure!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

I have a sketching in my foyer. Would you believe I got it on EBay for like 50 bucks!

Received an email recently from his wife Laura saying there will be a new exhibit this summer at the French Office of Tourism. Looking forward to seeing when we arrive in two weeks.

Carol and I visited with Roland last year during our yearly trip. He walked around his garden with Carol as I took photos. I have one of the neatest photos of his hat he likes to wear. He took it off and placed it on a bench in his gallery before he walked outside with Carol. Made for a great still life. We purchased one of his paintings on canvas of flamboyant trees. Just love it. If you have never visited his studio in Marigot, you must take the time to visit when he is there. In his rear garden stand the barracks where French soldiers stayed at one time. You'll love meeting him and he will treat you as if he has known you forever. A real ambassador for St. Martin.

I asked him about the hat a few years ago. "It's kind of your trademark," I said. He laughed, took off the hat, pointed to the nearly bald head under it, and smiling, said "that's why!" He is a great guy.

My wife and I and friends were having dinner at L'Auberge Gourmand this past May and saw some of his work on the walls of that restaurant. Pascal told us about his studio in Marigot and we went there a few days later. We met his wife and talked to him while he worked upstairs. We bought an ink drawing of L'Auberge Gourmand from them. Very nice people.

We admired his paintings when we visited him at a previous studio just outside Orleans. Loved his original paintings but a little expensive for us <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

If you care to see what his studio and gallery, as well as his rear garden, may look like, click on my blog address below and type in Roland Richardson in the white box, top left. I have quite a few photos that I took as well as a few from his site that you can view. The story is a 2-part story so don't miss the second one. At the end of the 2nd story he is signing the print that we bought from him.