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The Highwaymen (landscape artists) facts for kids

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The Highwaymen, also known as the Florida Highwaymen, were a group of 26 African American landscape artists in Florida. They became famous for painting beautiful Florida scenes and selling them directly to people. They sold their art from their cars along the roads, especially A1A and US 1.

These artists created many colorful landscape paintings using simple materials instead of expensive art supplies. Since art galleries would not show their work, they sold their paintings in towns and cities, often right from the trunks of their cars, sometimes even when the paint was still wet! Their success is amazing because they started their careers in the 1950s in Florida, a time when racial segregation and unfair laws (called Jim Crow laws) made things very difficult for African Americans. They are sometimes called "The Last Great American Art Movement of the 20th century."

The Highwaymen's Story

In 1955, a 19-year-old African American artist named Harold Newton was encouraged by a well-known Florida artist, A. E. Backus, to paint landscapes instead of religious scenes. Harold Newton sold his landscape paintings from the trunk of his car because art galleries in South Florida would not show art by African Americans.

The next year, 14-year-old Alfred Hair also started taking art lessons from A. E. Backus. After three years, he too began selling landscape paintings. Harold Newton and Alfred Hair inspired a group of other African American artists to do the same. Harold Newton is known for his painting skills, while Alfred Hair was seen as the leader who guided the group through the 1960s.

They attracted a group of young, energetic artists who painted many bright and colorful landscapes. Each artist sold their paintings from their cars. In 1970, the group lost its inspiring leader when Alfred Hair tragically passed away at age 29. After this, the number of paintings the artists produced started to slow down. By the 1980s, people's tastes changed, and big places like Disney World grew, which also reduced the demand for their art.

In the mid-1990s, a Florida art historian named Jim Fitch and a reporter named Jeff Klinkenberg wrote newspaper articles about the group. Jim Fitch called them "The Florida Highwaymen" because they sold their art door-to-door along Florida's Highway 1. This attention made people interested in their beautiful paintings of Florida's nature again, and sales went up. This also made the value of their artwork increase. In 2004, all 26 Florida Highwaymen were honored and added to the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.

Their fame grew around the world in the early 2000s. The 26 members are recognized for their big contribution and for showing what Florida culture and history were like in the mid-1900s. Many of the original artists, even though they are now in their 70s and 80s, still paint today. Over time, their style has changed from "fast painting" (which helped them make many paintings quickly) to more detailed works.

Their Unique Painting Style

Most of the Highwaymen artists taught themselves how to paint, and they also helped each other learn. Since they were not allowed in traditional art shows or galleries, the Highwaymen painted on inexpensive materials like upson board or masonite. They framed their paintings with crown molding, which they brushed with gold or silver paint to make them look old.

They would pack these paintings into the trunks of their cars and sell them all along the southeastern coast of Florida. Sometimes, the paintings were stacked before the oil paint was completely dry. The Highwaymen often painted outdoors, using their instincts to create scenes of beaches, palm trees, and the Everglades. They loved to use bright, bold colors, like burnt-orange skies or glowing clouds, to make their paintings exciting for buyers.

The Artists of the Highwaymen

The Highwaymen were not a formal art group, but they succeeded as artists and business owners because they were determined to paint. They did not want to work in citrus groves, which was often the expected job for African Americans at that time. Their art is also sometimes called "Outsider Art" or "Folk Art." They learned quick ways to paint and found smart ways to sell their art outside of regular art galleries and exhibitions. Their story shows how African Americans created their own opportunities despite the tough social conditions of the Jim Crow South.

In 2004, twenty-six African American artists were officially recognized as the Highwaymen. These artists were added to the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2004. The group includes: Curtis Arnett, Hezekiah Baker, Al "Blood" Black, brothers Ellis and George Buckner, Robert Butler, Mary Ann Carroll (the only woman in the group), brothers Johnny and Willie Daniels, Rodney Demps, James Gibson, Alfred Hair, Isaac Knight, Robert Lewis, John Maynor, Roy McLendon, Alfonso "Poncho" Moran, brothers Sam, Lemuel and Harold Newton, Willie Reagan, Livingston "Castro" Roberts, Cornell "Pete" Smith, Charles Walker, Sylvester Wells, and Charles "Chico" Wheeler.

The only "Highwaywoman," Mary Ann Carroll (1940-2019), was not well-known for many years. She was a special guest at First Lady Michelle Obama's luncheon in 2011. Mary Ann Carroll gave a painting of a poinciana tree to Mrs. Obama.

Nine of these twenty-six artists are considered the "original" or earliest Highwaymen: Harold Newton, Alfred Hair, Roy McLendon, James Gibson, Livingston Roberts, Mary Ann Carroll, Sam Newton, Willie Daniels, and Al Black.

In 2008, a second hour-long PBS-TV documentary film called "The Highwaymen: Legends of the Road" was released. The first documentary, "The Highwaymen: Florida's Outsider Artists," came out in 2003 and is often shown during Black History Month.

Most of the paintings are signed by the artists, but some are not. There are also paintings sold as "Highwaymen Style" that look like the famous landscapes of the Highwaymen artists. Older paintings from the 1950s and early 1960s are especially popular with collectors.

The A. E. Backus Gallery & Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida holds an annual exhibit of Highwaymen artwork.

Where to See Their Art

Ft Pierce FL Backus Gallery-Museum sign01
The A. E. Backus Gallery & Museum shows artwork by A. E. Backus and other Florida artists like "The Highwaymen".

The Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee has paintings by twenty-three of the original twenty-six artists.

In 2011, an exhibit called "The Road to Freedom" showed early Highwaymen paintings at the Blackburn Gallery at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

In 2016, an exhibit in Ottawa, Canada, was sponsored by the United States Embassy for US Black History Month. This exhibit at the SAW Gallery included 30 paintings by all members of the Florida Highwaymen and a documentary film.

In 2017, an exhibit called "The Florida Highwaymen: Art Innovators in a Civil Rights Epoch" was held at the Homer & Dolly Hand Art Center at Stetson University in Daytona Beach.

Their art has also been shown at other places, including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (Washington D.C.), Orange County Regional History Center (Orlando, Florida), The Florida House (Washington, D.C.), Elliott Museum (Stuart, Florida), and The Florida Aquarium (Tampa, Florida).

In March 2020, Florida lawmakers passed a bill to create specialty license plates to honor the group's work.

See also

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