The 15th Annual Jetson Highwaymen Show

1/31/26

Every last Saturday in January for the past 15 years: Jetson’s at 4145 S. US

Hwy 1 Fort Pierce celebrates the Florida Highwaymen and their outstanding

dreamscape Florida Art. Many of the original 26 Florida Highwaymen have

displayed and sold their paintings there. It’s a special day to share an amazing

story that started in the 1950’s in Ft. Pierce & Vero Beach FL.

Bean Backus a successful Florida landscape painter welcomed artists to his

studio in Ft. Pierce. It was the time of Jim Crow, but his door was always open.

Artists came enjoyed the atmosphere that promoted art, technique and

friendship. It fed the soul of many- including Alfred Hair a local High School

student in Ft. Pierce who was brought in by Mrs. Jefferson, his art teacher.

Hair was a quick study and began to round up his friends to help paint and sell

the artwork. Roaming the highways of a more rural midcentury Florida they

successfully sold @ 200,000 paintings to offices, locals, motels and tourists.

One of their regular stops to sell or trade their paintings was Jetson’s on US 1

Ft. Pierce. Brothers John and Scott, the owners of Jetson’s were frequently

visited by the artists who wanted to sell or make a deal. There are over 200

Highwaymen paintings in the Jetson collection. And many came with

interesting stories.

Remember the sky-blue polyester suits of the disco era? Many thought them

indestructible, but a still wet Harold Newton painting ended that myth and

John Jetson’s new suit.

With the passing of so many of the original 26 Highwaymen the Jetson event

has evolved to include Florida landscape artists who have studied with the

Highwaymen, Backus or as outsider artists - learning much of it on their own.

From 11am to 3pm you can visit this world and meet artists, dealers, authors

and others who enjoy the beauty of our state. Admission is free.

Susan Harris Jetson’s 772-464-7050