GEORGE BUCKNER
(1942-2002)
George Buckner was the oldest of twelve children who lived and grew up in Gifford Florida. Both George and his brother Ellis Buckner (fellow Highwaymen) came across Harold Newton while he was painting a Florida landscape. After this encounter with Harold they both started the process of learning to paint and before long they were both creating their own pictures.
When George was in the ninth grade, he dropped out of school after his father died to help support his family. He and his brother Ellis both attended school with Willie Reagan in Gifford. George was an accomplished musician who could play piano, guitar and saxophone. To raise money George played bass guitar for nine years with a band called the Melodeons. He also worked construction and labored in the Indian River citrus groves picking oranges. Later in life he started his own lawn service and cut lawns for a living. Both George and Ellis were inspired and taught the painting techniques of Beane Backus, a very talented artist from the Fort Peirce area.
George started selling his work in Vero Beach, working alone, he sold to doctors, lawyers, and to the staff at the local telephone company. Furthermore, he went to packinghouses where workers bought paintings for their wives. Occasionally he would go to expensive homes and give private showings. George also sold his paintings at art shows. He sometimes won awards, including a first place at the Miami Art show for a scene along Jungle Trail. George Buckner was one of the most accomplished Highwaymen painters, always striving to be a better artist, George was proud of his success.
George Buckner died from cancer on December 7, 2002 at the Indian River Hospital in Vero Beach. He passed away just two weeks after the Highwaymen were featured on the front page of the New York Times art section. His son Reuben says he was a kind and quiet man who was always ready to help someone. He had an unwavering love for his family and a strong talent in both art and music.
Biographies are adapted from those on thehighwaymentrail.com, one of the earliest informative websites on the Florida Highwaymen. Since the site is no longer active, we have provided them here.
