Eric Winter

Eric Winter arrived in St. Thomas in 1954 with a Fine Arts degree from the University of Maryland — and never left. A builder, woodworker, and devoted painter, he became one of the island’s most beloved artists and teachers over a career spanning nearly five decades. He painted from life, experience, and memory, driven by a commitment to capturing light and preserving scenes of West Indian culture he knew would one day disappear. His students remember him not for teaching them what to paint, but how to see — a distinction that many say changed their lives. Winter received the Excellence in the Arts Award from Governor Roy L. Schneider in 1997 and continued painting until his passing in January 2001, leaving behind a legacy as rich as the island he called home.