Note Type
Antony Hayton, Exhibit DirectorNote
Harold Newton (1934-1994)
God's Rays
Oil On Masonite Circa 1978
Image 24" X 40"
Harold Newton was the first Highwaymen and acknowledged as the finest artist of the group. The others all looked at him and his abilities. It is said that he could paint 3 or 4 paintings a day. Although the Highwaymen have been compared to the French Impressionists, they did not paint "en plein-air", outdoors with the chosen scene before them, but rather the artists would paint from memory usually in their "backyard studios."
This St. Lucie River bend scene is a later work by Mr. Newton. Their artworks can be dated by the board they used for painting. In this case, Newton's moody gem is done on masonite, which dates it post-1982. The artists switched from primarily using Upson Board after the Upson company of northern NY state went out of business.
"God Rays" shine down, as a lone egret feeds while privy to a timeless back river vista. Although the other artists would learn from Newton, he was described as a loner. He was nomadic and crisscrossed most of Florida to sell his creations. He initiated the concept of selling directly to the client.