Celebrating the Art and History of Florida's Highwaymen

St. Johns River State College will host "The Road Well Traveled: Celebrating the Art and History of Florida's Highwaymen," featuring 20 original paintings by the renowned group of artists now known as the Florida Highwaymen. The exhibit will run from Friday, September 20, through Wednesday, October 9, 2019, at the St. Augustine Campus Library.

A group of African-American artists who started working in the mid-1950s in Fort Pierce, the Florida Highwaymen were so named by Jim Fitch, the scholar who spearheaded new recognition of their work in 1995, because they sold their paintings by traveling Florida highways and selling out of the backs of their cars. These artists developed a technique of "fast painting," producing dozens of works each day, as a way to make a living from their art instead of having to work in factories or citrus groves. Their paintings are known for their impressionistic nature, due to the quick strokes the artists used.

The exhibit at St. Johns River State College will include works by original Florida Highwaymen, including Curtis Arnett, Hezekiah Baker, Al Black, Geurge Buckner, Robert Butler, Mary Ann Carroll, Johnny Daniels, Willie Daniels, James Gibson, Alfred Hair, Harold Newton, Lemuel Newton, and Livingston Roberts.

The exhibit will open on Thursday, September 19, 2019, with a talk by Dr. Krista Ubbels from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

There will be three other talks associated with the exhibit:

"The Highwaymen Story," presented by Florida School of the Arts, on Thursday, September 26, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

"Gallery Talk" with St. Johns River State Humanities Professor Cristy Furr on Thursday, October 3, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

"Painting Paradise: The Art of the Highwaymen," presented by noted Highwaymen scholar Gary Monroe, on Tuesday, October 8, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Admission: Free

When: The exhibit will run from Friday, September 20, through Wednesday, October 9, 2019. Hours are from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Fridays. The exhibit will be closed on Saturdays.

Where: St. Johns River State College Library on the St. Augustine campus is located at 2990 College Drive, Building L.