The Highwaymen story started in 1950s, when a group of 26 unknown but talented young African-American artists from Fort Pierce in Florida decided that closed doors of art galleries and shows should not stop them from doing what they loved to do and they started selling their art works door-to-door and from the back of their trucks throughout all the south-eastern coast of Florida to support themselves and their families.
They painted mostly images of lush, Florida landscapes and their art was inspired by the work of well-known Florida artist Albert Ernest "Beanie" Backus. Alfred Hair, one of the Highwaymen, was one of the Backus' students. Yet most of the artists of the group were self-taught painters. It's not exactly clear how many paintings there are painted by the Highwaymen, but by one of the estimation is getting close to 200,000 pieces.
The unheralded artists painted swiftly and sold their works cheaply. Robert L. Lewis Jr. the nationally acclaimed Highwayman artist, remembers selling a small painting for $10 in the early 1960s. By the 1990s, Highwaymen art became popular and prices began to soar. Now a large Lewis work can bring up to $15,000.
The Highwaymen group was never an official association or a formal movement; they were all loosely connected by their style, purposes and intentions in life rather then by any kind of formal membership. Nevertheless in 2000, 26 artists were officially identified as the Highwaymen.
The Highwaymen have also earned honors. In 2004, Lewis and other surviving Highwaymen were inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in Tallahassee.
Their paintings have presented Florida as it was before condos and concrete covered much of the land.
The Highwaymen story is not over; some of the Highwaymen are still painting and their works are getting a lot recognition and interest.
Lewis, now age 67,likes to use art to support good causes. He is set to volunteer his talents for Sunflower House, the Caregiver Resource Center at Merritt Square Mall in need of financial help.
Lewis believes in sharing his God-given talent and states it is very important to give his gifts. Lewis will be at Sunflower House from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 9 for a painting demonstration. He’ll also sign and sell paintings, cards and calendars, with a portion of the proceeds going to Sunflower House.
For information about Lewis, go to www.rllewisartist.com or call 321-543-1919.
Call Sunflower House at 321-452-4341. It is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closes at 4 p.m. on Saturdays. It is located between JC Penney and Dillard’s in the Merritt Square Mall, 777 E. Merritt Island Causeway.
Posted by JoAnn Papsidero
