OSPREY, FL (January 19, 2023) Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast is thrilled to host a collective of Florida Highwaymen for a special one-night-only exhibition of their legendary art. The event will take place, Wednesday, February 22 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm in the foundation’s Burrows-Matson House headquarters at Bay Preserve, 400 Palmetto Avenue in Osprey. Artwork will be available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Conservation Foundation.
“We are truly delighted to welcome these men and showcase their art,” says Christine P. Johnson, president of Conservation Foundation. “Beyond highlighting stunning natural landscapes like those we protect, the Florida Highwaymen are an integral part of Florida’s cultural history. It is an honor to host them for this special event.”
From the early 1950s through the 1980s, twenty-six African-American artists – now known as the Florida Highwaymen – used vivid and bright colors to paint scenes of beautiful, untouched Florida. Excluded from showing their work in galleries or museums in Jim Crow era Florida, they piled their paintings into the trunks of their cars and sold them along US Highway 1, thus earning the name “Highwaymen.” Today, their vibrant paintings are highly-collectible and widely sought after.
Three of the original twenty-six artists – Curtis Arnett, Al Black, and Robert L. Lewis – along with one second-generation Highwayman – Roy McLendon, Jr. – will be in attendance with artwork on display and available for purchase.
Registration for the reception is required. To RSVP, visit Conservation Foundation online at conservationfoundation.com/events or call 941-918-2100. To learn more about the individual artists or the Highwaymen as a whole, visit floridahighwaymenpaintings.com.
About Conservation Foundation
Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast protects land and water in Southwest Florida for the benefit of people and nature. Working with landowners, businesses, and government, Conservation Foundation saves land forever, protecting those special places that make this region extraordinary. A nationally accredited land trust, Conservation Foundation purchases natural areas, holds voluntary land protection agreements, and educates for responsible land and water stewardship in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier Counties. Learn more and join in their mission at conservationfoundation.com.