From Sea to Saddle: The Unique Story of Monique Richter

Monique Richter: A Journey from the Sea to the Saddle

In our Mermaids and Cowgirls series, we love highlighting women who embody both of these dynamic spirits, and Monique Richter is a perfect example of this blend! This Florida native and artist has built a fascinating career painting boats and yachts. She’s also a talented equestrian who owns and operates a horse farm. 

We’re not sure how she’s managed to do so much or how she juggles it all, but Richter shows us just how much one person can accomplish when she follows her passions. From her beginnings as an artist to painting luxury yachts for several famous celebrities to her dream of giving back to the community through equine therapy, we’ll bring you her inspiring and impressive story. 

We’re fascinated by this creative coastal cowgirl, and we know you will be, too!

Early Life and Creative Beginnings

From her earliest days, Richter was an artist and a beach lover. Her mom taught her to paint when she was just three years old. She also loved to ride horses, spending her childhood summers at horse camp. And like many Floridians, Richter had a passion for the ocean. Little did she know that she’d grow up to create a unique career that would combine all her passions.

In high school, Richter continued to study art and went on to win many local awards for her creations, also selling them at fine art shows. Meanwhile, she was also an accomplished wakeboarder, turning pro in wakeboarding before she finished high school and traveling all over the world to compete in the sport for nearly ten years.

From Captain to Maritime Artist

After an injury ended her wakeboarding career, Richter was forced to rethink her next steps. She began working on boats in St. Thomas and the Bahamas, eventually working her way up to captain. It was in the Bahamas that she first saw a boat that had been painted with a faux teakwood finish, and the seeds for her next career phase were planted. Given her early love of art, Richter suspected she’d have a talent for this type of painting, and she was right.

Back in Florida, Monique approached boatbuilder Roy Merritt of Merritt’s Boat and Engine Works and persuaded him to let her do a faux teak paining on one of his boats. He gave her a test project of painting a yacht door, and once he saw her talent, he quickly promoted her to painting a $16 million, 72-foot Merritt.

Building Her Business

Richter continued to hone her craft and today, she’s thrilled to combine her love of art and water into an exciting career. She’s currently one of the most prolific and sought after maritime artists in the country. She works on 20-30 boats a month, painting names and designs as well as faux teakwood on watercraft from small boats to luxury yachts. 

She paints everything freehand with a level of detail and skill that creates a demand for her work throughout the world. Her client list includes more than 50 different boat builders, as well as A-list celebrities including Johnny Depp, Jimmy Buffet, and Alan Jackson.

In addition to her work in the maritime industry, Richter also receives commissions for various special projects like murals, and she has even painted a private airplane.

A New Chapter

If you thought that Richter’s endeavors seem like too much for one person to handle, you’d be wrong, because she’s making room for yet another passion. Richter has recently turned 10 acres of land in Jupiter Farms, Florida, into an equestrian facility. 

Blue Ridge Farms is the realization of a long-held dream that was born from her childhood days of riding horses. Still a work in progress, the farm houses event space and a 16-stall barn plus a mini barn for her miniature horses.

Blue Ridge Farms currently serves as both a boarding facility and event venue, but Richter’s ultimate goal is to use the farm and her horses to help children with disabilities. She plans to open the facility to the public on weekends, allowing kids to visit, interact with, and ride the horses. 

Richter will also offer a more focused equine therapy to improve children’s mental and physical health. Besides that, she plans to breed mini horses, which she’ll use to facilitate more beginner-level equine interactions for kids.

With more offerings still to come at the farm, and more demand for her art than ever, Richter’s work is far from finished. But though she has a packed schedule, she’s thrilled to spend her days following her passions and bringing joy to others. This is one coastal cowgirl who shows no signs of slowing down.

For more information on Richter’s maritime art, visit her design website. Check out her Blue Ridge Farms website for all of the exciting new equestrian developments and follow her adventures on Instagram.