The next stop in my Central Florida art adventures was the Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland, FL where I took in an enchanting exhibit celebrating The Highwaymen.

I purposely use the term “enchanting” because that is how I feel whenever I see the work of this incredibly talented group. These artists captured something extra special, indeed the very magical side of Florida’s wildly unique environment long before anyone was remotely concerned about suburban sprawl and rising water levels.

This exhibition included quite a few paintings depicting Florida’s wildlife and they are quite remarkable. In one painting, we see waterfowl wading at the edges of a marshy paradise. Closer observation reveals that each bird is made up of four, maybe five brushstrokes!

I was also charmed by a stunning scene featuring two deer foraging through some grasslands backed by a wooded area as the early morning haze begins to burn off in the Florida heat.

Of course, one cannot discuss the work of The Highwaymen without recognizing their exceptional use of color. Sunrises and sunsets are a real treat in the state of Florida and these artists capture the fantastic effects of the sun’s light passing through clouds and mist.

I moved to Florida as a young person, but my husband was born and raised in the Sunshine State. His viewing of these paintings was heightened by a profound sense of nostalgia. When looking at a set of evening/night scenes, he explained that they felt like experiences he had had while camping as a youth. He further explained that the scenes seemed so familiar to him that he could “hear” the paintings.

While the entire gallery was beautifully curated, I must commend the educational team for commentary that was both insightful and thought-provoking. Museum labels and didactics included in the exhibit challenge the viewer to consider why The Highwaymen, who collectively generated upwards of 200,000 paintings, are not studied as extensively as other artists and movements within American art. Could it be because The Highwaymen were African American or that they painted scenes of Florida instead of New York City or Paris? Was it because they sold their paintings on the rural roadside instead of big city galleries? Was it because most never attended art school or received formal training and instead developed their own stylistic techniques?

This is an excellent exhibition for not only viewing some really wonderful pieces of art, but also for thinking about the way in which we study art in the 21st century. If you have seen this exhibit, please share your thoughts with me!

For more info on this exhibit, please visit…

https://polkmuseumofart.org/exhibitions/2021/12/16/highwaymen