Marco Island Center for the Arts Exhibition

Sir Roland Richardson “en Plein Air”

September 8 to 30, 2025

““En Plein Air” is a French term meaning “in the open air.”  It refers to painting outdoors, studying the natural light on a living subject.”

“I’ve spent the better part of the last 60 years doing my paintings and graphic works on location.  The living quality of the light comes through my work because I work directly from life.  Every etching of mine is drawn from life.  Drawings done on location reveal a vibrance-  a living quality - that comes from the subject and emanates from the page or canvas.

I’ve devoted my artistic attention to two primary mediums:  oil painting en Plein Air and print-making - with an important emphasis on etching.  I have created over 400 print plates of all different subjects, all from life. Every plate I make in the traditional manner. Every etching, I hand-pull (print) myself and so that it is unique, an Artist’s Proof.

Etchings have always intrigued me for many reasons. First, they are technically difficult to do.  It is challenging to create in a medium which has such an impressive history.One of the most endearing qualities of an etching is its intimacy.  It is a picture that you look at closely, exploring its detail, that you hold in your hand to experience the delicacy of its lines, or tones or textures.  It is equally important, despite its usual small size, as an historical record of places, things and people.

I like the physical, messy work that is involved in inking, wiping, swiping, cleaning each etching plate before I print it.  Each time it is a surprise when you lift the paper and you  see everything you’ve been doing in reverse. I like it also because you can do every impression differently and the plate is a springboard for an endless discovery of an image that otherwise seems fixed. The image comes alive with each unique technique – etching, engraving, aquatint, mezzotint, embossing, drypoint - many represented in this exhibition.

In addition to this intimate portfolio of works on paper, is a selection of my “Plein Air” oil paintings which share my primary devotion to Color.  I was born and have lived most of my life on the French Caribbean island of St. Martin.  I have always loved painting in France as well.  When my wife, Laura, and I adopted Naples, Florida as our home in the U.S.A., I discovered a wonderful “Jardin” – garden – where I often immerse myself painting the water lily ponds at the Naples Botanical Gardens.   Each of these beautiful venues are represented here in this small collection which we gathered to be shared for the first time.”   Sir Roland Richardson

“The nature and character of yellow is to glow. That which glows is intense in its center and radiates outward, getting paler as it moves away from its nucleus. It is not trying to become a form.  It wants to dissolve into insubstantial light. The sunflower fields radiate a sweet aura and aroma.”

“Color brings mood, makes the wind visible in the trees, in the sky, makes the foreign familiar, brings intimacy to this seaside village scene where people go about their life with a sense of peace.”