University Press of Florida
Mary Ann Carroll: First Lady of the Highwaymen
Mary Ann Carroll: First Lady of the Highwaymen
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The story of a Black woman artist who made a name for herself in Jim Crow Florida
In
the years since the art world discovered them, much has been made of
the Highwaymen--the loosely knit band of African American painters whose
edenic Florida landscapes, created with inexpensive materials and sold
out of their cars, "shaped the state's popular image as much as oranges
and alligators" (New York Times). But lost in the legends surrounding the group is the mesmerizing story of Mary Ann Carroll, the only female "Highwayman." In
1957, sixteen-year-old Carroll met Harold Newton, later dubbed the
original Highwayman. He was painting a landscape along the side of the
road. There were red flames on his car. Yet what shocked the young
African American girl most of all was discovering a Black man who didn't
work in the orange groves, who made a living off of his paintings. It
wasn't long before she was creating and selling her own landscapes, and
the other Highwaymen, taking note of her startling use of color,
welcomed her into the fold. Carroll sold her first painting at
eighteen--remarkable for any young artist, unheard of for a Black woman
in the South. Like her Highwaymen brethren, she travelled across the
state, selling her art at hotels, offices, and restaurants where she was
not allowed to drink, eat, or even sit. If the Highwaymen faced
discrimination at every door they knocked on, then the challenges--and
dangers--were magnified for Carroll. She took pride in always having her
pristine Buick gassed and ready to go and her small handgun cleaned and
ready to use. After years of virtual obscurity, Carroll was
invited to the First Lady's Luncheon in 2011, where she presented a
painting of her iconic poinciana to Michelle Obama. In her later years,
Carroll was pastor of the Foundation Revival Center in Fort Pierce,
was an accomplished musician, and continued to paint and exhibit her
work widely.
Mary Ann Carroll is
the never-before-told story of a Black female artist's hard-fought
journey to provide for her family while also making a name for herself
in a man's world.
Author: Gary Monroe
Publisher: University Press of Florida
Published: 10/07/2014
Pages: 192
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 2.00lbs
Size: 10.20h x 8.10w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9780813049694
Review Citation(s):
Choice 05/01/2015 pg. 1488
In
the years since the art world discovered them, much has been made of
the Highwaymen--the loosely knit band of African American painters whose
edenic Florida landscapes, created with inexpensive materials and sold
out of their cars, "shaped the state's popular image as much as oranges
and alligators" (New York Times). But lost in the legends surrounding the group is the mesmerizing story of Mary Ann Carroll, the only female "Highwayman." In
1957, sixteen-year-old Carroll met Harold Newton, later dubbed the
original Highwayman. He was painting a landscape along the side of the
road. There were red flames on his car. Yet what shocked the young
African American girl most of all was discovering a Black man who didn't
work in the orange groves, who made a living off of his paintings. It
wasn't long before she was creating and selling her own landscapes, and
the other Highwaymen, taking note of her startling use of color,
welcomed her into the fold. Carroll sold her first painting at
eighteen--remarkable for any young artist, unheard of for a Black woman
in the South. Like her Highwaymen brethren, she travelled across the
state, selling her art at hotels, offices, and restaurants where she was
not allowed to drink, eat, or even sit. If the Highwaymen faced
discrimination at every door they knocked on, then the challenges--and
dangers--were magnified for Carroll. She took pride in always having her
pristine Buick gassed and ready to go and her small handgun cleaned and
ready to use. After years of virtual obscurity, Carroll was
invited to the First Lady's Luncheon in 2011, where she presented a
painting of her iconic poinciana to Michelle Obama. In her later years,
Carroll was pastor of the Foundation Revival Center in Fort Pierce,
was an accomplished musician, and continued to paint and exhibit her
work widely.
Mary Ann Carroll is
the never-before-told story of a Black female artist's hard-fought
journey to provide for her family while also making a name for herself
in a man's world.
Author: Gary Monroe
Publisher: University Press of Florida
Published: 10/07/2014
Pages: 192
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 2.00lbs
Size: 10.20h x 8.10w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9780813049694
Review Citation(s):
Choice 05/01/2015 pg. 1488
About the Author
Gary Monroe, professor of fine arts and photography at Daytona State College, is the author of numerous books, including The Highwaymen: Florida's African-American Landscape Painters, The Highwaymen Murals: Al Black's Concrete Dreams, and Harold Newton: The Original Highwayman.
