Painting by Alfred Hair
By Lauren Gibaldi
When one hears the phrase “highwaymen,” rarely does it bring to mind artwork of a phenomenal degree. Yet, Florida’s Highwaymen were just that – artists who brought the state decadent landscape paintings that each told its own story.
A History
The Florida Highwaymen were a group of African American artists from, predominantly, the Fort Pierce area, who made a living for themselves painting Florida landscapes. It started when a method of painting was discovered by Alfred Hair – trained by legendary painter and original Highwayman A.E. Backus. Hair’s style and Backus’ trainings heavily influenced the 26 artists and, collectively, they created more than 200,000 paintings within a 30 year period.
The men (and one woman) painted on inexpensive Upson board or masonite, framing their paintings with crown molding, brushed gold or silver to create an antique look. The paintings were packed tightly in cars (sometimes before the paint was dry – leaving noticeable imprints) and ready to be sold.
At the time, no galleries or museums were interested in selling or displaying artwork done by relatively unknown self-taught African American artists, so, rather than giving up, these men started selling their pieces door-to-door, along the highways, to business and individuals alike. They found ways to market their works throughout the state, and essentially sell all of their art in a time when there was still strong discrimination in the south. From the mid-1950s through the 1980s, these men captured Florida’s true essence in every stroke, while battling segregation and discrimination.
Though not considered an official art movement, like impressionism or romanticism, the Highwaymen still made a name for themselves as they thrived as artists and entrepreneurs. They didn’t succumb to the time period’s pressures of working in citrus fields; instead, they created this new form of American folk art. They essentially created a name for themselves from nothing. Not once during their 30 years did they make it inside an actual museum or art gallery, yet they did create a legacy.
As the 1980s started, the men stopped painting and slowly slid into obscurity, never receiving full credit for the work they did. In the mid-1990s, Jim Fitch re-discovered them, dubbed them the Florida Highwaymen, and brought attention to their contribution to Florida art. Since then, their paintings started to reappear, becoming collectors items and high sellers at auctions. In 2000, the 26 Highwaymen were identified and given proper credit for their work. Four years later, the Highwaymen were inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame. With exhibits throughout the country, the Highwaymen have left their mark in the art world.
Highwaymen
The Florida Highwaymen included: Curtis Arnett, Hezekiah Baker, Al Black, Ellis Buckner, George Buckner, Robert Butler, Mary Ann Carroll, Johnny Daniels, Willie Daniels, Rodney Demps, James Gibson, Alfred Hair, Issac Knight, Robert L. Lewis, John Maynor, Roy McLendon, Alfonso Moran, Harold Newton, Lemuel Newton, Sam Newton, Livingston Roberts, Willie Reagan, Cornell Smith, Charles Walker, Sylvester M. Wells, Charles Wheeler
The Exhibit and Book
Backus, as well as the other Highwaymen, will be celebrated from September 25, 2010 through January 2, 2011 at the Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando. The center’s exhibit, Against All Odds: The Art of the Highwaymen, contains more than 30 paintings showcasing a breadth of talent.
To go with the exhibit, Bob Beatty, former Curator of Education at the history center, published the book Florida’s Highwaymen: Legendary Landscapes. In his pictorial work, more than 100 Highway paintings, many never-before-published, are included, as well as detailed information on the men themselves.
For more information on the exhibit, visit www.thehistorycenter.org
This upcoming September, J. Sebastian Fabal is making his mark on New York City. The Miami native’s musical, The Tenth Floor, will be premiering at the annual New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF). A prestigious opportunity, Fabal’s production was one of the 11 shows chosen as a Next Link Musical Selection. The Next Link Project is NYMF’s program designed to help emerging musical theatre writing teams.
