“The Florida Highwaymen: A Family’s Perspective” at the Leesburg Center for the Arts

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

As we make our way through the month of August, please be sure to carve out some time in your end-of-summer schedule for an extraordinary art adventure to Leesburg, FL. Trust me… you will not be disappointed!

Currently on view at the Leesburg Center for the Arts is The Florida Highwaymen: A Family’s Perspective. This exceptional show features an enchanting collection of works by an assortment of Florida’s most beloved artists and is on view for a limited time. Seriously! Visit soon because the exhibition closes on August 26th!

What makes this particular exhibition so wonderful is the accessibility of the work, so much so that visitors seem to connect with the work almost instantly upon entering the gallery. I know I did! For instance, one can get up close and personal with an Alfred Hair beach scene and see the scrapes, slashes and brushstrokes of a painter determined to call his painting “complete” only when it sold.

This exhibition could also be seen as an introduction to The Highwaymen movement as it highlights the importance of seeing the works in person. In doing so, gallery visitors continue the tradition of being enchanted and mesmerized by fantastic scenes that feel real but are charged with a dreamy and nostalgic energy.

In addition, this exhibition features repeated motifs of The Highwaymen and a few rarities, namely a lovely grouping of night scenes that illustrate the artists’ extensive understanding of light and dark. Personally, I like the waterfowl executed in the signature “fast painting” style.

On a recent visit, I overheard fellow visitors as they studied the works on view and made comments about the artists’ techniques. These visitors were also Florida artists who happened to paint plein air and looked to the paintings in the exhibit for guidance and direction. This is the unique gift that makes the work of The Highwaymen so beloved of Floridians, whether native or transplanted from somewhere else. The fact that their work is still inspiring people to capture the unique and magical landscape of the Sunshine State speaks to their timelessness and the importance of celebrating these wildly innovative creators.

***I am so pleased to announce that I will be giving a FREE Art Talk on this very exhibition at the Leesburg Center for the Arts on Wednesday, August 24th at 2pm!***

For more information on the Art Talk, please visit…

https://www.leesburgarts.com/new-events/cn78rdk3php7xz68rlc2acwfk4xyae

For more information on this exhibition, please visit…

https://www.leesburgarts.com/cfagallery

3 thoughts on ““The Florida Highwaymen: A Family’s Perspective” at the Leesburg Center for the Arts”

  1. The patrons of the Leesburg Center for the Arts are so fortunate to be able to hear your thoughts on this grand exhibit!

    I haven’t registered for book club for this month. Will get my check in the mail today! I’ve finished the book.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  2. I’ll join you Aug 24 Leesburg! After seeing exhibit I got book from Lake Cty Library System The Highwaymen by Gary Monroe & read that FL Highwaymen painted scenes from memory & did not need photos or to be in plein air scene to paint!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment

The Wandering Art Historian's avatar
I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.