Thursday, April 28, 2011

PRETTY GOOD DAY FOR HIGHWAYMEN FANS

Today the Palm Beach Post announced that Sunfest, the art and music festival on the waterfront in West Palm Beach chose a Florida landscape painting by Ft. Pierce artist A.E.Bean Backus as the their event poster. As most highwaymen collectors know Backus was a friend to many artists and a mentor to two of the highwaymen, Alfred Hair and Harold Newton. His influence can be seen in the work of many of the artists who belong to the Indian River School of Artists. Although  Bean Backus passed away in 1990 it is obvious that his talent and his stature as the Dean of Florida Landscapes is still appreciated and prized.

2 comments:

taymat said...

That's awesome - i want to see a pic of that poster!

Unknown said...

Hey Phil, very neat. Hope this will eventually bring some attention to the art and artists of old Florida. I'm off today to get some more photographs in Orlando, Daytona and Jax. My restorer Freda Nichols will be in Palm Beach on June 5, either she or I will be down to pick up the painting. Eventually if this blog attracts any attention perhaps in a year or two we could all meet and consider forming a club, a Society for the Presevation of Florida Art and Antiquities? Take care. Fred Frankel