The landscapes, inhabitants and colours of Saint Martin have always inspired the island's painters.
Not all of them are famous, but they do exist, and we have met some of them so that we can introduce them to you over the coming weeks.
As Francis Eck prepares to leave the territory, Sir Roland Richardson has decided to stay, but he is not the only one to wield a paintbrush on both sides of the border. Indeed, painters have been part of the Saint Martin art scene for many years, such as watercolourist Imé-Jahina "Chris" Ladéon, a Martinican who arrived here 30 years ago and now divides her time between the Friendly Island and Guadeloupe.
For lovers of typical Caribbean paintings, her name is not unknown, as she was the creator of an art gallery (now defunct) on the Route de la Savane; she now exhibits in two renowned galleries in Simpson Bay: "Art & Gift" and "Art Box Gallery". Imé-Jahina is her artist name, a tribute to her African roots, but "Chris" is more commonly used to refer to this artist whose talent is now recognised by connoisseurs, although this has not always been the case.
Talent does not wait for age
Unlike most people who pursue an artistic activity, she did not receive any art education as a child and does not remember having a taste for painting when she was young. It was following an accident in her life that she became interested in it, tried her hand at it, and had the revelation that changed her life. After trying acrylics and pastels, she finally settled on watercolours, which became her medium of choice, although she sometimes allows herself a few forays into other areas, such as woodworking.
When it comes to inspiration, nothing could be simpler: Chris observes the environment in which she lives and then simply reproduces it, adding her personal touch, her interpretation and her imagination. Nature, and flowers in particular, feature prominently in her work, as do traditional Creole huts, which mean a lot to her and bring back childhood memories when she brings them to life with the gentle touch of her brushes. In fact, it is not uncommon for admirers to share their emotions with her when they discover a painting depicting one of these old Caribbean dwellings similar to the one in which they lived with their parents or family.
Painting life, what could be more beautiful?
Watercolour allows for a wide range of colours, and although Chris herself is a great lover of 18th and 19th century painting, she readily admits that for the past 12 years, she has devoted most of her time to this lighter art form, which has given her a more serene and truer view of life. But she is not one to rest on her laurels, so she has decided to add a few more tubes to her palette by indulging in the luxury of exploring the field of writing with a book currently in preparation. She has also recently taken up illustration techniques, precisely in order to embellish her texts with a few images straight out of her imagination.
The least we can say is that, once again, the legend that artists are not inclined to work hard is debunked by the obvious fact that one of them is not wasting her time. In addition to the aforementioned venues, Imé-Jahina "Chris" Ladéon exhibits in Guadeloupe and occasionally in Saint Martin. To get a clear idea of her talent, we recommend taking a look at her Instagram page: Iméjahina_art_studio.
