From painted landscapes to rock ‘n’ roll, art provides a variety of ways to express thoughts, evoke emotions and create interesting visuals.
Mark your calendar, because the surrounding community is full of learning opportunities from different mediums.
Florida Highwaymen Art Show and Sale
To help keep the art form created in 1958 by the African-American artists group The Florida Highwaymen alive, bright colored landscape paintings were displayed during the 33rd Mount Dora Florida Highwaymen Art Show and Sale event Aug. 10 and 11.
The event, which happens twice a year at the Donnelly Park Pavilion in Mount Dora, is hosted by Margie Salyer, owner of the Heron Cay Lakeview B&B Inn, to honor the 26 original Highwaymen artists and the legacy artists who continue creating in that style.
The two-day event included appearances of original Highwaymen artist Al Black; second-generation Highwaymen artist Kelvin Hair; and other legacy artists.
Salyer said that when she was growing up in North Palm Beach, she was able to see a lot of the original Highwaymen artists, many of whom lived in the area.
“I just thought it was tourist stuff,” Salyer said, explaining that she didn’t appreciate the full importance of the art group until later in life.
She said the community comes together to care for the artists when they come for shows as a way to honor and thank them for the business they bring during the shows.
“It’s fantastic,” she said. “They used to stay here in the bed and breakfast during shows. We would collect food from the local restaurants for them. We’ve gotten to have a personal relationship with many of them.”
Salyer said the work she is doing to share the history of the Florida Highwaymen is important.
“It’s rewarding to share they are very nice and regular people,” she said. “I had no idea growing up that I would have such an opportunity. I really enjoy telling guests about their story.”
The next Highwaymen show in Mount Dora will be in January. To learn more about the dates for the 2025 Annual Florida Highwaymen Art Show and Sale, visit mountdora.com.
“Summer of Love: Woodstock” program
Unified by a desire for peace, love and music, the 1969 Woodstock festival still brings a nostalgic smile to those who were there, and those who were there in spirit.
Join historian Jo Ann Tufo at 2 p.m. Wednesday for her presentation on Woodstock and the lasting effect it has had on American culture.
“It’s very challenging to present on something that is essentially three days of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll,” Tufo said. “But I look at, ‘How did this influence three generations?’ Three generations were influenced by the music, whether it’s by the way we dress or the words we use.”
The program will be available virtually with Zoom and in person at the Pinellas Plaza Library, 7375 Powell Road, in The Villages.
To register for the program or find out more about it, visit sumtercounty.librarycalendar.com.
“Every Fiber of My Being” solo exhibition at Appleton Museum of Art
Self-taught artist Charlita Rae Whitehead is having an artist talk about the work featured in her solo exhibition “Every Fiber of My Being” at 2 p.m. today.
Whitehead, an Ocala resident, uses fiber to create art using a technique called tufting, in which an electronic needle is used to push through the yarn to create a continuous loop stitch.
Whitehead’s art will be available for viewing at the Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., in Ocala, through Sept. 8.
For more information about the exhibition or the museum, visit appletonmuseum.org.
“Art Create Friday” Workshops
Enjoy the open environment at the “Art Create Friday” Workshop at the Leesburg Center for the Arts at 10 a.m. every Friday.
The workshop is both an open studio to cultivate collaboration on projects and provide space for individuals to work on their own art projects. Though you don’t have to be a member of the center to participate in the workshop, Artist Level members have free entry access to the workshop. Non-members are allowed to attend one “Art Create Friday” before deciding if they want to become a member.
“The workshop is a member-benefit for an artist get together where they all work on their own project,” Colvin said. “There are occasional workshops with a shared project.” Colvin said artists enjoy coming to work on their individual projects, but also share and talk about ideas with other artists.
“The mutual support and encouragement is what we focus on,” Colvin said. “Art is better when you share it.”
For more information about the workshop or the Leesburg Center for the Arts, visit leesburgarts.com.
Staff writer Brea Jones can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5414, or brea.jones@thevillagesmedia.com.
