ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The next time you go to one of the many big conventions we have here in Central Florida, see if you can spot some beautiful paintings of Florida landscapes.
The Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs is partnering with the Orange County Convention Center to present the Highwaymen Collection.
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Who are the Florida Highwaymen?
It all started when A.E. Backus, who was white, met two young Black men with an interest in painting in the 1950s. He taught Harold Newton and Alfred Hair how to create landscapes on a canvas, and then turn out the paintings quickly.
The group came to be made up of 26 self-taught artists who were eventually recognized in the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2004.
They were named the Highwaymen because they couldn’t sell their work in art galleries or museums, so they had to take their business on the road.
The artists were based in the Fort Pierce area, but traveled for work. They began setting up stands along U.S. 1 or would visit offices to try to sell their paintings as decorations.
The paintings went for $5 to $25 dollars.
Even though the Highwaymen started off in the 1950s, they attracted more attention in the 1990s. They began to have shows around the state and were in demand.
Now when you search for Highwaymen paintings online, they’re priced at thousands of dollars.
Leaders with Orange County said the Convention Center has an initiative to highlight impressive artwork that really represents Florida, while also preserving history.
This permanent artwork collection first started in 2020, but it was delayed due to the pandemic.
You can now find the new exhibit inside the west building at the Convention Center.