Alain Jean-Baptiste

Rico(Father), 2024
Oil on canvas (diptych)
72x24

Last year, I went to Barbados with my dad to resolve a visa issue. What I thought would be just another trip turned into something far more meaningful. Over some cheap burgers, local beers, and many long late night conversations, I got to know my dad in a way I never had before. I learned about his life, his struggles, his strength, and the weight he carries for our family. When I came back to the states, this painting was all I could think about.

I painted him as I saw him at ten, towering, larger than life. Because that’s what he is. A central force, an anchor, a presence that pulls people in. The earthquake took those early years from us, years I can never reclaim, and I won’t pretend that doesn’t weigh on me. But time only moves forward, and all we can do is hold on to the moments we have now.

#barbados #art #diptych #artoninsta #blackart