James Gibson, People Magazine

When the article in People Magazine came out, I think in 2003 or 2004, I went down to Publix and bought a half a dozen copies. The highwaymen art market had been well established by then with several active dealers dealing, and was cooking right along. Sales were "brisk", as Jim Fitch would proclaim in one of his several articles in Antiques and Art Around Florida.

At the many antique shows where I set up displays of the work I considered to be the most visually exciting and worthy of investment, I would almost always have a vintage painting or two by James for sale alongside the Newtons, Hairs, and McLendons that I favored. I used the magazine as a sales tool to help prove the validity of this market to skeptics and those copies I had bought were soon gone, given to my best customers.

The opportunity to share this link has been made possible by the creative people involved in the upcoming highwayman motion picture via their excellent website.

Here's your link, gentle readers.

http://www.starsnorth.com/highwaymen/pdf/people.pdf

In true People style it's short but sweet. And you will notice, in true People style, it mentions divorce, courting of a fiancee, and celebrities, from Steven Spielberg to Jeb Bush to Geoff Cook.

Robert, Aletha and Dorene Butler.

Winter Haven, Florida.

Friday, Oct 28, 2011

Polk Avenue Elementary hosts Art Awareness event

Polk Avenue Elementary will host a special Art Awareness event Oct. 28 to stress the importance of art in the community and raise awareness about world hunger.

During the event, guest artists Dorene Butler and Aletha Butler will paint an original masterpiece that will be sold to support the school's art department. Dorene and Aletha Butler are daughters of famous Florida wildlife and landscape painter Robert Butler who, in 2004, was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame as one of 26 "Florida Highwaymen."

In addition to the original work created during the event, Robert Butler prints will be available for purchase.

The Polk Avenue Elementary event is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. and is free and open to the public, although donations for the soup supper will be accepted. Polk Avenue Elementary is located at 110 East Polk Avenue in Lake Wales.

Fifth-grade students will exhibit "empty bowls," which they designed and painted to raise awareness about world hunger. Money raised from the sale of these bowls will be donated to the Lake Wales Care Center for local hunger relief programs.