Saddleton, John Paul

John Paul Saddleton’s (born 1968, Nassau, Bahamas) paintings are a study of light. Working en plein-air, or directly from the landscape, his process is exceptional in that he uses photographic aides sparingly, resulting in dazzling depictions of Bahamian landscape and seascape, often in their most vivid light.

Saddleton received a Bachelor's of Commerce from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada and continued on to Central Saint Martin's in London, England, where he studied watercolor layering, glass manipulation and advanced color theory.

In 2012, Saddleton completed an ambitious 32-foot long mural for the new Lynden Pindling International Airport, in Nassau, Bahamas. His mural depicts the history of the Bahamas in condensed form, from the country’s early beginnings. He writes about the process, “We had to create a sense of place and I picked an historical sense of place. I based the mural on a sense of history in the Bahamas. It is the biggest project I have ever worked on. It took about 8 months to paint. It is not comprehensive in terms of history; it is very Nassau-centric even though the Out Islands have a lot of history as well. It reads like a chronological history of the Bahamas, with the story of Columbus, then the Nassau pirates, sponging, and it finishes with Junkanoo and our marine riches.”

The artist frequently works to commission; you can see his paintings in many offices, hotels and private collections. His murals can also be found at the Cancer Research Centre and Ardastara Gardens and Zoo.