|
WHAT:
The City of Orlando presents Mary Ann Carroll: Queen of the Highway, a retrospective exhibition celebrating the life and work of Mary Ann Carroll (b. 1940–d. 2019), the only female artist in Florida's renowned Highwaymen group. The Highwaymen, a collective of 26 African American artists, created and sold vibrant landscape paintings, overcoming racial and economic barriers to gain recognition. This exhibition, at Orlando City Hall’s Terrace Gallery, is the first solo show dedicated to Carroll’s extraordinary work and is co-curated by Flynn Dobbs, Public Art Coordinator for the City of Orlando, and independent curators Mark J. Lerner and Tony Hayton.
Mary Ann Carroll: Queen of the Highway invites visitors to explore Carroll's six-decade journey. A Black single mother during the Jim Crow and post-segregation eras, Carroll supported her seven children by painting at night and selling her landscapes by day, often traveling Florida’s highways. She faced adversity head-on, breaking racial and gender barriers to blaze a new path.
Flynn Dobbs says: "It is an honor to bring this impactful exhibition to City Hall. Mary Ann Carroll was a trailblazer for female artists and artists of color in Florida, and her life and work continue to inspire."
For Carroll and the Highwaymen, art offered a path to economic opportunity and self-respect in a time when African Americans had limited job options. Carroll viewed her work as “an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work” and a way to capture the beauty of God's creation.
Originally from Georgia, Carroll moved to Fort Pierce, Florida, at age nine, where she lived and worked until her death in 2019. Her artistic journey began at 18 when she met Highwayman Harold Newton, who became her mentor. Carroll developed a unique style characterized by vibrant Florida landscapes, using dynamic brushwork and palette knife techniques. Her vivid color palette drew inspiration from the sun, water, trees, and shadows.
In the 1980s and 1990s, when interest in Highwaymen art declined, Carroll worked various trades, including house painting, electrical work, carpentry, plumbing, gardening, and as a nurse assistant. She also served as pastor of the Foundation Revival Center in Fort Pierce and was a talented gospel singer. While the exact number of her paintings is unknown, it is believed to be in the tens of thousands. One of her most celebrated works, Royal Poinciana, was presented to First Lady Michelle Obama at the 2011 First Lady’s Luncheon.
Carroll’s art has been exhibited internationally, and she lectured at Howard University and traveled as a guest of the American Embassy and US State Department. Her work, shown on three continents, remains a testament to her global impact.
Co-curator Tony Hayton notes, “Mary Ann Carroll was a one-woman dynamo whose love of family, faith, and determination made her one of America’s most endearing and important artistic talents.”
Mary Ann Carroll: Queen of the Highway honors her legacy of resilience, artistic excellence, and groundbreaking achievements, inspiring future generations of artists.
WHEN:
Friday, April 4, 2025
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - Public Viewing
WHERE:
Terrace Gallery, Orlando City Hall
400 South Orange Avenue
MEDIA INFORMATON:
Media interested in interviews, please contact Flynn Dobbs, City of Orlando Public Arts Coordinator at flynn.dobbs@orlando.gov.
Link to photos of the artwork can be accessed here.
###
|