To the Editor:
A big thank you to Robert L. Lewis, on of the last original "Highwaymen" painters, for his amazing and inspirational demonstration in the Antique Boutique.
What a blessing it was to have him grace us with his amazing artistic talent this past weekend (May 19).
For those who don't know, the Highwaymen was a group of painters who recreated Florida landscapes on canvas and sold them to tourists throughout the 1960s and '70s on the side of Florida highways.
Originally, these paintings sold for $20 to $30 but now are highly sought after and worth thousands of dollars.
Lewis, a retired teacher, recently won Best of Show at the Cedar Key Art Festival and the Dade City Art Festival to name his most recent awards.
He was inducted into the Artists Hall of Fame and lectures at many colleges across the country.
He owns a gallery in cocoa beach where he lives, which is operated by his son, Robert L. Lewis III. The store features Lewis' paintings and those of other Highwaymen.
If you had the opportunity to see him at work in the window of our store Saturday you would understand why his work is displayed at many museums. H effortlessly painted a scene of the St. John's River while sharing stories with people who came into the store to talk with him.
Congratulations to all who acquired a piece of his work!
I would also like to thank Alex Herrmann, owner of 3rd Street Caf, for the most charming meet-and-greet he played host to at the restaurant for Lewis. The wine was great and the company and conversation unsurpassed!
If you were unable to see this great man at work, the painting Lewis created is on display at 3rd Street Cafe.
Chelsea Combrink
Antique Boutique
Boca Grande Depot
