Dead or Alive! Les Natures Mortes
For years we’ve had lively discussion about the French art classification, Natures Mortes. Direct translation means “Dead Nature” but the art genre actually encompasses all Still Life compositions. (Another related misnomer is that Still Life plural is Still Lifes not Still Lives!) With this anomaly in mind, Roland strives to create the most “living” still lifes he can possibly paint in his lifetime!
Roland loves to combine complicated elements using color glass, exotic fruits and flora, patterned cloth and tropical provisions, fresh fish from the market, which all combined, truly conjure the palette of the Caribbean.
Driven by passion and pleasure, he has invented the Flamboyant, Bougainvillea and Zinnia Bouquets as contributions to Caribbean “Plein Air” Impressionism, often painting these brilliantly colored floral bouquets outdoors overlooking the sea or in the gentle green landscape.
The Flamboyant Bouquet is created from branches of a blooming tree. These bold flowers have never before appeared as still life subject, possibly because their blossoms fade so quickly.
The Bougainvillea Bouquets are joyous but treacherous to pick and combine multiple colored vines in perfect composition while filled with punishing prickles! In truth, there’s sacrifice behind every great work of art.
The final goal is a composition that lives forever, far beyond the living subject, beyond the artist’s lifetime, as a capsule of jubilant beauty for centuries to come!
Painted from life by Sir Roland Richardson
On location at La Samanna, Baie Longue, French St. Martin
Original Oil on Canvas
Size: 33” x 23” canvas
Framed Size: 39” x 29” framed in white outer wood and white liner
Dated December 2010
$6,500
Custom Life-Size Fine Art Giclee on Canvas Price: $825
“The “Still Life” is not just a picture of fruit, flowers and things on a table.
They are studies of life through color. In fact,
color is the subject for without color there would be no objects to see or paint.”
Sir Roland Richardson