Richard Edson Sutton is a Charlotte-based artist and art educator whose painting and curatorial practice centers Black being, interior life, and social memory—attending to the conditions that shape how we are seen, remembered, and thrive. His work engages questions of identity and power through a visual language that is both intimate and incisive. Drawing inspiration from African diasporic artists, Sutton’s practice also reflects the emotional intensity of the Baroque period and the urban realism of the Ashcan School, telling stories of the oppressed with a fervent sense of hope.

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Sutton holds a B.F.A. in Painting and Ceramics from Andrews University (Michigan) and an M.S. in Art and Design Education from Pratt Institute (New York City), grounding his work in both rigorous artistic practice and pedagogy.

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His artistic career began with a public debut at the Nyack ARTWALK™ (New York) in 2009, followed by his selection as the featured poster artist in 2011. That same year, he participated in an exhibition at Bruces Garden in Inwood, New York, which addressed the impacts of gentrification while foregrounding community resilience. After relocating to Bermuda, Sutton became an influential presence in both local and international art circles, including participation in the prestigious Charman Prize competition.

 

Notable works such as La Pietà (2017) and Rescued From Manifest Destiny (2019) engage historical and contemporary legacies of racial injustice while emphasizing endurance, memory, and self-definition. His first solo exhibition, Afraid of the Dark (Gallery 117, Bermuda, 2018), featured 25 paintings exploring Black identity, communal placemaking, and the tensions between vulnerability and collective strength.

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Sutton’s recent work continues to examine identity and self-discovery, inviting viewers into reflection on both personal and collective narratives. As an art educator, he is committed to art as a transformative and pedagogical practice, emphasizing its role in cultural affirmation and community empowerment.

 

Sutton has exhibited with institutions such as the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art, Black Pony Gallery, and The Bermuda Society of Art, reflecting his sustained engagement with arts education and curatorial practice. Internationally recognized, his work is held in private collections and continues to gain attention for its socially engaged, aesthetically rigorous narratives.