I grew up in North Yorkshire as part of a large Caribbean family. My passion for making things and painting on almost anything - kitchen towels, canvas, wood, concrete blossomed from an early age and as I grew up it became a conduit for life’s stresses and challenges. I’d return to my art whenever I found myself needing a sanctuary and a reprieve from pressure.
I’ve always been a bit of a magpie of cultural influences. I remember being totally fascinated at school by Neolithic cave paintings, Art Deco, West Indian and African art. My life and work took me to France, Canada, Italy, Turkey, Bulgaria to name a few, and everywhere I found something local to be fascinated by.
Painting has always been the key to who I’m today. Painting for me is storytelling. The story takes precedent over shapes and colour. Also, painting is like dreaming – dreaming in multicolours, in bright images and perpetual restless movement.
"We have 3 of Roland’s pictures – they are so vibrant and full of colour and movement! A real joy to look at and always a talking point with visitors and friends. And Roland’s art is just like the artist too."
- Tim & Tatiana
"We feel lucky to have a couple of Roland's pictures and they are often admired by friends visiting the house. We find the art atmospheric, colourful and thought-provoking and never tire of looking at them."
- Amanda & Paul
"Roland’s paintings show this world as a colourful, dancing, turning around its earth axis, attractive and yearning. The artist paints Black Africa, the most mysterious continent, whose children live in a world, we Europeans are not familiar with, it is magical, mysterious and slightly sad..."
- Ms S. Moskova.