1970s Original Florida Highwaymen Landscape Painting by Willie Daniels

Details

Description

From 1950s through the 1980s, a group of twenty six African American artists in Florida began using bright colors to … Read more From 1950s through the 1980s, a group of twenty six African American artists in Florida began using bright colors to show the untouched Florida landscape the way it was before it was developed for tourism, a wild collection of marshes, inlets, and waterscapes full of birds and palm trees. Considered the beginning of Florida's contemporary art movement and known as the Florida Highwaymen, these skilled and largely self-taught artists would quickly paint a number of canvases from their garages and back yards to be sold on the road, from the trunks of their cars, and door to door, anywhere there was a market for Florida decor.
Willie Daniels (1950-2021) was born in Georgia and moved to Florida as a child, where he and his younger brother Johnny, also an original Highwaymen artist, would live alongside other Highwaymen as neighbors from a young age. Particularly influenced by Harold Newton, Daniels learned the fast style of painting used by the group and began producing works that would be sold on the road by Al Black. Al would often sign these paintings with his own name in the hope of gaining higher pay as the artist and seller. Later, Daniels signed his own work, as seen here. Like many other original Highwaymen, Daniels sought other work when demand fell and returned to Georgia; when interest in the Highwaymen began a resurgence in 2001, he returned to Florida and resumed work as an artist until his death at 71, delighted by the demand for his work after years of obscurity.
This original Highwaymen painting shows a river edged by palms and trees, all reflected in the calm waters flowing by. A single heron wades into the waters beneath the beautiful dawn or dusk sky showing soft pink in the clouds, a stunning scene typical of these artists. Painted on Upson board, framed in wood with distressed white and gold paint with wire to hang. Signed in the corner by Willie Daniels in white paint. Board measures 16 inches wide and 12 inches tall, framed to 19 1/2 inches wide and 15 1/2 inches tall. Older (slightly inaccurate) information page about artist attached to back. See less