 |
Bay News 9
Local Programming
On Demand
About
Community
Market Place
Services
Highwaymen tradition lives on through next generation
The Butler sisters are carrying on their father's proud tradition of depicting Florida's history on canvas. (Slideshow)
PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Last weekend a fire in Lakeland that spread to an art gallery destroyed hundreds of pieces of art.
Among them were 100 paintings by Robert Butler, an artist who was part of Florida's famous Highwaymen.
While those paintings can never be replaced, the loss makes the work of a new generation of artists even more important. A second generation of Highwaymen, including Butler's daughters, are making sure the tradition lives on.
The paintings aim to preserve Florida's past, particularly the images of disappearing landscapes.
- Generation next
- Florida history comes to life
- Highwaymen Hall of Fame
- Safety Harbor Museum of Regional History (727) 726-1668
"I have a son now and a lot of stuff he's not going to get to see because it will be gone by the time he gets old enough to even understand for it to be important," Angela Butler said.
"So, my dad preserved a lot of stuff for us to get to see."
The Highwaymen emerged in the 1950s and '60s and focused on Florida's scenery. But galleries refused to sell their work.
The men were forced to sell their paintings from the trunks of their cars and on the side of the road. Still, they produced more than 100,000 landscapes.
"I know they realized there were issues going on with the race factor in art, but I don't think they were afraid, they just did it," Dorene Butler said. "I think they were surprised by what came out of it."
The Butler sisters are among a group called the second generation - the children of the Highwaymen. And their work, along with dozens by the original group, are on display at the Safety Harbor Museum of Regional History.
"When you come in and look at some of these paintings, I think you're able to step out of that door and get a renewed sense of Florida," Aletha Butler said.
To celebrate Black History Month, a special collection of Florida Highwaymen paintings is on display at the Safety Harbor Museum. This is a private collection never seen by the public. The exhibit runs through March 30.
There are also some of the second generation works at the museum.
More Pinellas County Stories
- Delayed first day of school arrives in Pinellas
- Sailors hit by storms as they try to outrun Fay
- Police: Man shot in convenience store robbery dies
- Man arrested for alleged Internet seduction of a child
- Rays keeping eye on Tropical Storm Fay
- McMullen Booth reopened after early-morning accident
- Scallop numbers improving in the Bay area
- Fire inspections under scrutiny after plant burns down
- Judge rules D.C. madam pictures public record, sort of
Get the latest news, weather, and traffic on your computer desktop, your cell phone or via e-mail with Bay News 9's free alert service, Bay News 9 Now.
Become An Asterisk Hunter!
At Bright House Networks, we prefer to keep things simple.So the next time you're looking for TV, home phone and Internet service with a 30-day, money-back guarantee, but without the fine print surprises, call
1-866-976-EASY.
Learn more at AsteriskHunters.com.
