This summer, Old Florida romantics have the opportunity to see up close a painting in real time by a “Highwaymen Legacy Artist.”
On Aug. 14, Michael Love will give a talk and lead a painting workshop at Studio Artfarm, sponsored by the Mount Dora Center for the Arts.
Love, born in 1972, will share motifs and techniques he learned from his uncle, original Highwayman Al Black, and Willie Daniels, a fellow Highwaymen Artist. Through their tutelage, he learned to convey that uniquely dreamy natural beauty of the Sunshine State that has become a hallmark of his forebears.
In case you’re new to the uniquely Floridian art genre, the original Florida Highwaymen were a group of African American artists who, in the 1950s Jim Crow era, painted vibrant Florida landscapes and sold them out of their trunks because they were barred from traditional galleries.
As with other Highwaymen, Love’s work focuses on preserving the untouched beauty of Old Florida before the rise of modern development.
Love paints sweeping landscapes with vivid colors, using radiant hues to re-create the impact of dramatic sunsets, glowing rivers and mysterious twilight scenes.
His works often feature coastal environments, swaying palm trees, islands, wetlands and native wildlife, such as cranes and egrets. Using both brush and palette knife, Love often works with oil on canvas or Masonite to create texture, motion and energy.The upcoming Michael Love Landscape Painting Workshop takes place at Studio Artfarm, 120 E. Fourth Ave., Mount Dora, on Friday, Aug. 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Cost is $125 per person (all supplies are included). Details: studioartfarm.com
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Highwaymen legacy comes to Mount Dora with artist stories and painting
Reporting by Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial / Daily Commercial
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial | USA TODAY Network
