From Union, South Carolina, Alan Roberts ’73 has spent over 50 years in Aix-en-Provence, France, where he paints and teaches at the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing — a 53-year-old nonprofit “school of vision” focused on close observation of nature, light, and art.

Roberts first came to Europe on a trip with his high school friend, Nanette, from their hometown of Union. They originally intended a post-college-graduation trip traveling around Europe with a stop at a Cat Stevens concert, and ended up also taking a painting course at the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing in Aix. What began as a visit turned into a lifelong calling for Alan.

After studying with painters Leo Marchutz, William Weyman and Sam Bjorklund, the school’s founders, Alan has served since 1990 as Director and Board President of The Leo Marchutz School of Painting & Drawing, and has taught several generations of students from universities around the world, visiting adults from the USA and other countries, and local residents of Aix-en-Provence. He was recently featured in The New York Times in a story on color in art.

Roberts’ painting studio is located at the Châteaunoir along the historic Route de Cézanne.

Each year, he also leads oil painting workshops for adult groups in Venice, as well as the school’s Museum Seminar in the USA, which brings participants of all experience levelsand walks of life together to explore great works of art. This year’s seminar will be held in Boston, with visits to the MFA and Harvard Art Museums.

A father of six (now ages 41 through 19!) who were raised in Aix and the grandfather of seven, Alan remains closely connected to his USC and Union friends and to his family in the Carolinas.