As the only female Highwaymen painter, Mary Ann Carroll faced social and economic hurdles on her journey to become a professional artist. Pragmatically recalling her struggle to support her family while developing her artistic career, she said, “I have never seen it as a man’s world or a woman’s world. What I saw was survival.” Like the other Florida Highwaymen, a group of African American artists celebrated for their distinctive paintings of Florida’s natural environment, Carroll sold her art from the trunk of her car, crossing the state in her Buick despite the potential for violence or discrimination. Of the Highwaymen, Carroll’s landscapes are noteworthy for their vibrant colors and crisp details.
Source: Mary Ann Carroll: First Lady of the Highwaymen, Florida Highwaymen Painters
