The large number of Highwaymen paintings coupled with their wide distribution means there are hidden treasures in garages and attics throughout the state. Tom Morris, manager of the Grant Antique Mall, recalls one woman who came to him after last year’s hurricanes with a painting she thought might be a Highwayman. Sure enough, it was – but it was missing its frame. She had found it in a garbage can in Melbourne, about 20 miles up the road.
Photo by Karen Laughter
Mary Ann Carroll is the only female member
of the Florida Highwaymen.
“She went back to Melbourne and found the damn frame,” Morris says. At least once a week, people inquire about old paintings that they own and want to know if they are Highwaymen. Morris has found several at yard sales.
Given the popularity of their older paintings, many of the Highwaymen – including Gibson, Carroll and Reagan – continue to paint.
After a lifetime of selling his work for tens of dollars, Gibson now commissions paintings for up to $10,000. Instead of selling them door-to-door at doctor’s offices, his paintings adorn the walls of the governor’s office. “Oh, it really has changed my life,” he says.
Through the changes he’s seen, Gibson retains the love of art that began in his childhood. “People get real excited and they love my paintings,” he says. “That’s what motivates me.”