- Imagine: a southern African-American self-taught female artist, living in Jim Crow South Florida, defying civil and economic injustices by selling her paintings along US-1 highway. She desired to paint her way out of the ghetto township of Fort Pierce, into a better, more meaningful existence.—Anonymous
- Imagine: a southern African-American self-taught female artist, living in Jim Crow South Florida, defying civil & economic injustices by selling her paintings along US-1 highway. She desired to paint her way out of the ghetto township of Fort Pierce, into a better, more meaningful existence. Her project, a series of heartfelt paintings of the Everglades, was a means to this end. She was a part of an outsider artist group called, The Highway Men, whom sold watercolor paintings to fresh painted walls throughout Southern Florida and effectively solidified their place in art history. Ironically, since the Everglades are currently endangered due to rapid urban development, The Highway Mens paintings might be our only homage to one of natures greatest wonders.
The Highway Men consists of 25 artists: 24 men and 1 woman, her name was Mary Ann Carroll. Beyond the stereotypes of American women of the late 50s and 60s, Mary Ann Carroll, a single mother of 7, courageously made her living as an artist. She was considered extremely talented. In the past Mary Ann Carroll was overshadowed by the likes of Alfred Hair and Harold Newton, the founders of the outsider group, because she was a woman. During this time period women were not recognized as influential artists. Mary Ann Carroll, like many of the men in the group, attempted to paint fast and sell quickly. Unlike the women in America at that time, she had earned a living as an artist. Rather than resorting to the minimal rural jobs available to un-educated African-Americans in the late 60s & 70s.
The film will attempt to document the life and work of Mary Ann Carroll as her historic role as the only female artist within The Highway Men. The film will visually explore the history and unique stories of Ms Carroll through Cinema-Verité style shooting, old photographs, interviews, review of private collections, testimonies from individuals whom purchased Ms. Carrolls vintage paintings, archival films, landscape shots of the Everglades, and capturing new exhibitions of her work. The audience will learn how Ms. Carroll struggled to make a living selling their paintings on the road, while raising 7 kids selling paintings within a racially charged Southern Florida. Mary Ann Carroll will recount her experiences working as an artist within the umbrella of the Highway Men, and her personal encounters with Harold Newton, whom encouraged her to start painting. Also, we will hear the likes of Gary Monroe, photographer and author of several books on the Highway Men, will historically legitimize the Highway Mens contribution to modern American Art. Finally, the film will re-visit the actual locations and places in which Mary Ann Carroll and the rest of her colleagues went in order to capture the essence and beauty of Everglades landscape within southern Florida.
As a Black artist, studying the cinematography, I am deeply encouraged by the accomplishments of Mary Ann Carroll and The Highway Men. This film is driven by my desire to learn more about them and document their lives and art, and how art saved their lives.
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