August 27, 2025 • 25 mins
Highwaymen artist Al Black is front and center in the discussion with Todd Martin and Susan Harris. Tributes abound with eyewitness memories of painting with Al Black and his teaching techniques, trips to galleries, and poignant times.
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Speaker 1 (00:12):
You're listening to Evergreen Meania Network.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I am Cinnichechwartz and this is our Veteran's Voice radio
show with your host Ralph Nathan Olco.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Hello everybody, Hopefully you've been having a good warm summer.
Unbelievable what we've had. But just remember we're going to
have the last laugh this coming December January of February,
when everybody out there is coming down here to be
joining us for the warm weather. So thank you very
much for being with us today our Veterans Voice for Radio. Today,
(00:41):
what we're going to talk about is the legend of
high Women now black who passed away a couple of
months ago in May. We have with us a legacy artist,
one of my dearest friend and also a local businessman
and an artist.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
And his name.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
You remember this name because someday you're going to wish
your get that you bought and got his paintings.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Hello, Todd Martin to welcome.
Speaker 5 (01:10):
Hello, nice to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Thank you for being I know you got you're busy
with the shopping all but thank you for being here. Yes,
and I've got my I got two right hands in
addition to mine. Today I have my every every week
right hand with Cindy Schwartz, our producer and Cindy, thank
you again. You've enhanced my life so much professionally speaking
(01:33):
with the radio.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
And we've been they're going to talk about us. We've
been together for a long time.
Speaker 6 (01:38):
Long time.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Yeah, thirteen fourteen whatever.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Yeah, And as always my solid right hand, Susan Harris
of Jetson's Mattress Appliances, TV Electronics Electronics.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Wow, and and High Women goodwill.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Uh, we do have to mention the best High Women
show annually anywhere in the state of Florida.
Speaker 7 (02:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
I think it's the last Saturday of every January, and
that's gonna be one thirty one, twenty six January thirty first,
So put it on your calendar. And yes, Todd will
be there and the High Woman Art Gallery and I
will be there and you. I mean, all I can
tell you is this planet ahead. So what we want
(02:24):
to do is Todd. When I talked to Susan, I
mentioned to her, you know, Al Black was he was
very prolific in painting, but he was one, it was
no question, the best sales salesperson of the twenty sixth
High Women. You you and I met years before you
(02:46):
met Elle. Yes, I remember the very first painting you
bought for me was a tababoya. Yes, I brought it
to you at your shop.
Speaker 5 (02:54):
Sixteen to twenty, very good and he did it.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Who is the That was his first person on canvas
and on canvas and we did not know each other.
Then subsequent to that, Todd is like me, when there's
something we can do, we try to go to the source.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
So what did you do? How did you reach the
source out black? How did you get in the picture?
And then we're going to go back to who's doodt Martin?
Speaker 7 (03:18):
Well, you know it really transpired through my hair salon,
the hair doctors, because where is that located? Eighty seven
fourteen twentieth Street and Route sixty and me and my
brother Luke Martin had been there for forty one years
since anywhere. Yeah, I started there as a kid twenty
(03:39):
one years old. But when that painting came to be
through a couple of Sandy Stole and Doug Stole, they
were customers years and lovely people they were, and they were.
In fact, she was my oldest client for probably thirty
five years.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
The longest tenured client, not by age, longest.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Yes, yes, that's a that's a good point.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
So you but you knew about the Highwayman before you
bought that all black for me?
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Yes, how did you know about the high Woman?
Speaker 7 (04:16):
You know, me and my brother were we weren't struggling
at all, but we had bought the business, paid good
amount of money for the business.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
So here's Tolan already there.
Speaker 7 (04:27):
Yes, okay, And it was established probably in nineteen eighty okay,
and then by a lady named Dorothy Barkwell, and which
was Missus B's restaurant out west of town.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Oh my god, I didn't know that.
Speaker 7 (04:44):
So there's a there's a lot of information here. Nobody
Now this goes way back here.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
There won't be a test in five minutes.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
In Yeah, all the citrus people used to eat at
Missus B's all you'd see out there. That's the time
I got here in ninety four. It was pickup truck's
galore in front of Missus Bees.
Speaker 7 (05:03):
Every Friday. I would order my peanut butter pie and
it was fabulous.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
So did you have no just how you have pie
without you?
Speaker 5 (05:12):
Oh? Man, it was wonderful.
Speaker 6 (05:13):
It was famous.
Speaker 7 (05:14):
Yeah, it was iconic, and uh, you know the highwayman.
What a beautiful story and uh, and the message they
have of I just happened to be at the right time,
at the right place. And me and my brother one
day was doing hair by herself and James Gibson walks in.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
I love that man, and uh, what do you think?
Speaker 7 (05:40):
Nineteen This was nineteen eighty eight when I first met
James Gibson and he had paintings in the trunk. He
had paintings in a lot of different places, and and
I was Me and my brother set him in the
shop that day. They were wet about thirty twenty five
thirty paintings. Yeah, and James he wanted twenty five dollars
(06:03):
apiece for them. And so when he came back, I
told him if if if you leave him here, I'll
do my best to sell as many as I could.
And me and my brother that day sold every painting
he had.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Not to himself.
Speaker 7 (06:16):
So and James gave me a painting in nineteen seventy two,
can send me black and white.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
So that was special to me for years.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
He asked me to kiss you.
Speaker 7 (06:27):
Yes, I still have the painting. Matter of fact, I
probably should have brought that in, but yes, there's no
way to see it in.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Well, sometimes we do video, but today it was just
on the audio.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Yes, So what was your perception.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Did he ever did James Gibson ever talk to you
about the Highwayman? Remember nineteen eighty eight, This is sixteen
years before he got in the Hall of Fame in
two thousand and four. Yes, so all right.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Oh, they weren't even called Highwayman.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
H yeah, right, yeah, Jeff Fitch, Yes, yes, what did
he ever talk to you about the other artists?
Speaker 4 (06:59):
Always just his art?
Speaker 7 (07:02):
Well, I think James was such a great ambassador because
of the fact he had a lot of energy and
he and he wasn't afraid to go around talking to people.
He had a tremendous, uh should I say, vocal presentation,
(07:22):
a very businessman like and I couldn't see James ever
getting kicked out of anywhere.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
It's kind of person he was.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Well my perception, he was well dooted. He was always
in suit, maybe a tie, very polite, he never never
raised his voice, very gentle and very respectful. And you
can't help us like a person like that. And he
always treated you like you're special. Yes, he talked to
(07:52):
He was good a wonderful gals.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
A consummate salesman polished, Yes, that's what I always thought.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
He was out pology, but nice man, nice man really was.
Speaker 7 (08:04):
You know that day he needed fifty dollars for frames,
and me and my brother he asked if we would
support him in frames, and uh, you know, an early
business we wrote him mature. We said, James, we're young,
but we're gonna we're gonna believe in you. We're gonna
write your check for fifty dollars for frames. And we did,
(08:25):
and uh, we just became instant friends after that.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Did you keep the canceled check?
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Because I knew he was going to ask you, because
in those days the checks came back.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Now you get copies with this bag, if you even
get a bag.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
If it was Babe Ruth, I would have kept it.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
I'm going to tell you something now. He was equivalent, Yes,
of Babe Ruth in his league of the highwayman.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Yes, how about that? Oh yeah, that that's how high
in the.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Same I wanted to point out to you and nobody
said anything. He charged you in nineteen eighty eight twenty
five dollars for a painting. They were charging twenty five
dollars back in nineteen sixty sixty six as well. I
think it hadn't gone up because from what we've all
done is that it changed everything that they routes. People
(09:14):
were at Disney in eighty eight and they weren't coming
along the US won the way. They had all different
highways and byways. So everything that James had been doing
had changed. But in nineteen eighty eight a house was
way more expensive than it had been in sixty six.
So you were getting some deal for twenty five dollars.
Speaker 5 (09:31):
Yes, I really was.
Speaker 7 (09:32):
In fact, the last painting that he painted me in
his house was a sunset and I paid twelve hundred
dollars for it four thirty and that was twenty twelve.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
You still have that I sold?
Speaker 3 (09:45):
It?
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Is that when I bought.
Speaker 5 (09:47):
That's the one. Yeah, that's what I had. That's the
one you bought.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
As you can't you can tell everybody there's a mutual
love and affection and respect with Todd and I. Uh
were as close as two males can becomes are as
friends and brothers.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
And you have been a mentor in a way to me.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I will tell I don't mean to embarrass you, but
thank you because you have helped make me a better person.
You've taught me to forgive. You've taught me that that
is a good gesture. Maybe selfish, because I feel better
when I get out of my system. But when we
harbor anger and we want to get even, we built
(10:31):
up a certain negative feature in our personality. And I
want to thank you in person on the air, to
thank you for helping me become a better person.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
I appreciate that sincerely from you.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Know what they say, forgiveness is a present you give yourself.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Yes, it's it's a good feeling.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
So back to I.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Keep I'm taking notes because I'm going to do a
little article on Todd. He's been asking me to do
this for a while. And what came up in my
mind when I was listening to you Wall is that
you sold him a twenty four by thirty from twenty twelve.
By then James was in He would die five years
later in twenty seventeen, and he was into his new style,
(11:13):
the heavy palette knife, the modern style, the style that
is in the Rockefeller collection. Bus is in John Jetson's collection.
If you come to the show where the receptionist is,
there are jumbola James Gibson's with the most incredible Ponciana's
three D that you've ever seen. So was it like that?
(11:33):
Was it heavy duty?
Speaker 5 (11:34):
Do you remember? Very much?
Speaker 3 (11:35):
So very much, so well, Susan they're referring to is
the January thirty first, twenty twenty six is coming January
after New Year's at forty one forty five South US one,
just north of Midway Road, the west side of the
street and the way you can recognize it, as my
granddaughter used to say it, we'll have the yumongous American
(11:57):
flag on the poll facing one.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
We're going to take a short break. We'll be right back.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
We're talking about our dear friend, the legendary Hall of
Fame high Woman out Black.
Speaker 6 (12:13):
I'm doctor Tim Iinitus at Treasure Coast Dermatology. At Treasure
Coast Dermatology, we believe in the prevention and early detection
of skin cancer. We are medical doctors and we focus
on the medical aspects of dermatology. You don't need a
sales pitch for botox, collagen or wrinkle creams. You needed
a doctor that cares about you and the health of
your skin. We feel by not trying to do too much.
(12:34):
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Speaker 2 (12:36):
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Meet Henry Bach patients of Florida I Institute.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
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world for me. The colors were brilliant, it was painless.
It could almost like being born all over again. I'm
coming here. It's like coming home. Everyone's so friendly and nice.
It's just a wonderful experience.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Are you ready to experience truly exceptional patient care Florida
I Institute.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Hey, did you hear the latest about our Florida High Woman?
Speaker 3 (13:19):
No?
Speaker 4 (13:19):
What, there's a new High Woman art gallery in Ero Beach.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Really where eighteen seventy two Commerce Avenue?
Speaker 7 (13:26):
Wow?
Speaker 4 (13:26):
When's it open?
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Seven days a week.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Called nine five four five five seven six two two six.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
For an appointment any time, No kidding, Just call.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
For your appointment ninety five four five five seven six
two two six and then go to eighteen seventy two
Commerce Avenue. Wow, that's good news.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
A member of the itex trading community, your I text
dollars are welcome.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Away.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Everybody Yeah, welcome back to Hormin and Sours radio show.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
Thank you for being with us.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
We're talking with Todd Martin legacy high woman artists, who
was mentored.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
By James Gibson. And now Black.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Okay, now, how did you you know we met? Now
we're dealing together, we're not even doing business yet together,
and then our relationship just from from upstairs revolved into
one of the most beautiful relationships the two men can have.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
So how you decided you wanted to meet Al Black?
Speaker 5 (14:24):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (14:24):
And so we gave it. We got you the address,
and you went cold that you're good at this. I
am not cold Turkey. You went up to four days?
That would be.
Speaker 7 (14:36):
Two thousand and twenty, the end of twenty one, four
or five years ago, yes, end of twenty one.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
So you drive up there? Yes? Tell us? How? Yes?
What do you do?
Speaker 3 (14:47):
You're walking in You're in Fort Pierce. You know where
he's living. He doesn't know you from Adam. I don't
know if you mentioned my name or Susan's name. Okay,
So he opens the door. How'd you open any conversation? Know?
Speaker 7 (15:00):
He was he was painting in the back and I
just happened to walk up there and you know a
little bit timid, I would say, at first, but he came,
he really made me feel pretty much at home. Wanted
to know, you know, what I was looking for, And
(15:21):
I told him I really wanted to, you know, purchase
a few paintings from me if I could. And I
think our first meeting together was you know, just getting
to know each other, and then after that we warmed
up to just a tremendous friendship.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
What would you say, was there any one common denominator
that you can say that he and you kind of
bonded with, whether it's collecting coins, believing in God, or
just having the same month birthday.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
Is there any one particular thing that bonded you.
Speaker 7 (15:56):
Well, my faith is always been a big part of
my life, and uh kind of transformed me. And I
think that getting to talk with Al Black a little
bit more and.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
His life.
Speaker 7 (16:12):
That you know, you you buy an now Black painting.
It's very rare that it doesn't have three births and
and those represent the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and UH,
which which represent our faith and and that was a
big connection for me and him.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Okay, how did he connect with you on that?
Speaker 4 (16:30):
Uh?
Speaker 7 (16:31):
Well, our connection was you know, I think of a
changed heart of a changed person.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
It made it.
Speaker 7 (16:42):
It made it that much easier to deal with him,
and uh, everything else was it just didn't fall into place,
but it seemed like it was pretty simple.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
How long do you think it took before the walls
came down and the hands up came down and now
the embrace of a relationship developed? How long did like
with It took me a couple of years with Rodney. No.
With Chico took me at least a year. With Rodney
Mariette it took me probably a couple of years. So
(17:14):
it takes a little while when a stranger comes in
and to somebody and developed that person into their life.
How long if you had a guess, was it two months?
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Six months?
Speaker 6 (17:25):
A year?
Speaker 5 (17:25):
Not very long?
Speaker 7 (17:26):
Because I had looked at some of his paintings and
things and got to realizing that, you know, he's painting
not the same old thing, but just the same old
style on different kinds of things. And Uh, I went
home and had a couple of skinny frames and ended
up bringing them back to him and cut the boards out, uh,
(17:49):
and and really coded him myself.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
And explained what you mean by coding well.
Speaker 7 (17:55):
The the old masonite boards. After ups on board, they
would coat the board with yes, well jesup was a
different but the use kilts and maybe get put a
at least coat the board well enough to where you
could paint on it, because you really couldn't paint it
(18:16):
oil painting on it unless you did code it.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
What would happen to a painting if it was painted
on the board uncoded.
Speaker 7 (18:22):
It would crack or or it would you know, or
the paint which just wouldn't set up just properly, wouldn't
take to the board. So you know, I I had
something in mind for Al Black and ended up he
put the colors together for it was like an eight
(18:44):
by twenty two, really different size a pair, and it
ended up put him in Ron Rennick's auction and they
just exploded and everybody wanted some.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
So what did he do differently?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
It was a pair for one thing?
Speaker 5 (18:58):
Well, yeah, this ale.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
These were old highwaymen style, uh back when they would
you know, they would probably cut a board of ups
and piece board and what they had left over they'd
make pairs with it. So those being Al Black's age
that they were and everything, you just didn't see them
very much anymore. You'd have to go to an auction
to buy an EPs and piece, maybe Harolds or Sam
(19:24):
Newton's or anyone that had painted pears back then. But
Al Black didn't have very many pairs that to speak
of that we know of.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
And I think you and I started, yeah that, yes, yes,
And the beautiful they really are.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Was in some of the what was the composition of them?
Speaker 5 (19:44):
What were they? You know? Al loved to his favorite
his favorite color was falo blue.
Speaker 7 (19:52):
And with a little bit of brown in it, and
and then also he would put purple with brown in
the sky and things like that. So these just happened
to be a little bit of a flow blue with
some pink and and they were just beautiful and and uh,
they sold, they sold right away.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
But his palm trees, he did a beautiful job in
the on the palm trees. Yes, it's just they exue
beauty when you look at him, just feel it.
Speaker 7 (20:19):
You know that that just transpired into my creativity because
then his talent.
Speaker 5 (20:31):
And his ability to be able.
Speaker 7 (20:32):
To paint anything that I gave him, he was great
at putting things together. And and we did so many,
uh you know, with Ray and our FrameMaker, Ray Steel,
fantastic and we cut so many different shapes and style
of boards that people have got them in their houses
(20:53):
because of that.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
Today, well we you and I also e seemly lucky
because we literally commissioned back Black to paint paintings that
we asked him to, or you would give him either
would give him photocopies of a Bacus painting or hero painting,
or you would sketch on on pencil what you would like,
or we were literally would give him a picture a
(21:15):
photo from our phone of what we're looking for. And
people don't realize how quality, quality wise, how talented Al
Black was when he wanted to put the time and effort.
Obviously there's more money in assembly line, get him, paint him,
get him out sell them. But when we gave him
commissioned ones and other people, he took his time and
(21:37):
you could see the difference in the quality.
Speaker 7 (21:40):
Yes, And I think one of the great things about
Al Black too is that he never forgot where he
came from. Bacchus played a big role in his life,
and he didn't let that you forget it. I mean
he he would mention that whether he was painting a painting,
(22:00):
he might uh say, well, you know, Alan black or
Beanie Backers told me one time that if if I
had your color, if you had their your colors and
they had your hands, he said, you'd be one bad
black boy.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
So, uh, yeah, that I just love.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (22:25):
He talks when he paints, and things come to his mind,
and he's very appreciative of his past.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
We're going to take a break in a minute or so.
When we come back, I want to talk when you
started to paint, and Susan and I can see how
the dial changes on the quality unbelievable. But do you
recall the last time you were in this studio with
Alan Susan?
Speaker 5 (22:50):
Yes, I do.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Susan was across from me. Al was sitting over here,
and I don't know where you were sitting.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
You were right where I was here, and he was
here in this that's what.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
And Susan and I dropped our jaws because if you
watch me now, we're audio not visual.
Speaker 4 (23:08):
He was dancing in his chair. He was as livid
and happy.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Uh. In his portrayal, it was absolutely magnificent. He was
just jumping into joy like a little kid in a.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Let me excuse me, I have to say, well, three
of you were like I was in that chair and
I was watching it shaking my head, and it was
a lot. Probably I've been doing the show since you started.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
I was your first.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
When I first got it.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Was probably one of the lively shows as far as
people moving and laughing and going on.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
And when we had him in the very last show
we ever had in the gallery at eighteen seventy two
Commerce in Vero Beach, is you remember the show was
wonderful and now the show's over. Now he puts his
hair down, and that death half an hour where he
sang and he preached and nothing to do with painting
(24:00):
whatever showed the true meaning of his personality. That would
have been probably March, Yes, I think it was like
March fifth or something.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Yes, how much weight did he lost? By them at.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
That time he had not yet lost weight, because we
had a show scheduled for May fifth, a few months later,
and that would have been on a Sunday, And the
preceding Tuesday is when he was hospitalized. And anyway, we'll
finish this in a second.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
We need to take a break. We'll be right back. Everybody,
thank you being with us.
Speaker 6 (24:35):
Okay, So I sus
You're listening to Evergreen Meania Network.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I am Cinnichechwartz and this is our Veteran's Voice radio
show with your host Ralph Nathan Olco.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Hello everybody, Hopefully you've been having a good warm summer.
Unbelievable what we've had. But just remember we're going to
have the last laugh this coming December January of February,
when everybody out there is coming down here to be
joining us for the warm weather. So thank you very
much for being with us today our Veterans Voice for Radio. Today,
(00:41):
what we're going to talk about is the legend of
high Women now black who passed away a couple of
months ago in May. We have with us a legacy artist,
one of my dearest friend and also a local businessman
and an artist.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
And his name.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
You remember this name because someday you're going to wish
your get that you bought and got his paintings.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Hello, Todd Martin to welcome.
Speaker 5 (01:10):
Hello, nice to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Thank you for being I know you got you're busy
with the shopping all but thank you for being here. Yes,
and I've got my I got two right hands in
addition to mine. Today I have my every every week
right hand with Cindy Schwartz, our producer and Cindy, thank
you again. You've enhanced my life so much professionally speaking
(01:33):
with the radio.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
And we've been they're going to talk about us. We've
been together for a long time.
Speaker 6 (01:38):
Long time.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Yeah, thirteen fourteen whatever.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Yeah, And as always my solid right hand, Susan Harris
of Jetson's Mattress Appliances, TV Electronics Electronics.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Wow, and and High Women goodwill.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Uh, we do have to mention the best High Women
show annually anywhere in the state of Florida.
Speaker 7 (02:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
I think it's the last Saturday of every January, and
that's gonna be one thirty one, twenty six January thirty first,
So put it on your calendar. And yes, Todd will
be there and the High Woman Art Gallery and I
will be there and you. I mean, all I can
tell you is this planet ahead. So what we want
(02:24):
to do is Todd. When I talked to Susan, I
mentioned to her, you know, Al Black was he was
very prolific in painting, but he was one, it was
no question, the best sales salesperson of the twenty sixth
High Women. You you and I met years before you
(02:46):
met Elle. Yes, I remember the very first painting you
bought for me was a tababoya. Yes, I brought it
to you at your shop.
Speaker 5 (02:54):
Sixteen to twenty, very good and he did it.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Who is the That was his first person on canvas
and on canvas and we did not know each other.
Then subsequent to that, Todd is like me, when there's
something we can do, we try to go to the source.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
So what did you do? How did you reach the
source out black? How did you get in the picture?
And then we're going to go back to who's doodt Martin?
Speaker 7 (03:18):
Well, you know it really transpired through my hair salon,
the hair doctors, because where is that located? Eighty seven
fourteen twentieth Street and Route sixty and me and my
brother Luke Martin had been there for forty one years
since anywhere. Yeah, I started there as a kid twenty
(03:39):
one years old. But when that painting came to be
through a couple of Sandy Stole and Doug Stole, they
were customers years and lovely people they were, and they were.
In fact, she was my oldest client for probably thirty
five years.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
The longest tenured client, not by age, longest.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Yes, yes, that's a that's a good point.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
So you but you knew about the Highwayman before you
bought that all black for me?
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Yes, how did you know about the high Woman?
Speaker 7 (04:16):
You know, me and my brother were we weren't struggling
at all, but we had bought the business, paid good
amount of money for the business.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
So here's Tolan already there.
Speaker 7 (04:27):
Yes, okay, And it was established probably in nineteen eighty okay,
and then by a lady named Dorothy Barkwell, and which
was Missus B's restaurant out west of town.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Oh my god, I didn't know that.
Speaker 7 (04:44):
So there's a there's a lot of information here. Nobody
Now this goes way back here.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
There won't be a test in five minutes.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
In Yeah, all the citrus people used to eat at
Missus B's all you'd see out there. That's the time
I got here in ninety four. It was pickup truck's
galore in front of Missus Bees.
Speaker 7 (05:03):
Every Friday. I would order my peanut butter pie and
it was fabulous.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
So did you have no just how you have pie
without you?
Speaker 5 (05:12):
Oh? Man, it was wonderful.
Speaker 6 (05:13):
It was famous.
Speaker 7 (05:14):
Yeah, it was iconic, and uh, you know the highwayman.
What a beautiful story and uh, and the message they
have of I just happened to be at the right time,
at the right place. And me and my brother one
day was doing hair by herself and James Gibson walks in.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
I love that man, and uh, what do you think?
Speaker 7 (05:40):
Nineteen This was nineteen eighty eight when I first met
James Gibson and he had paintings in the trunk. He
had paintings in a lot of different places, and and
I was Me and my brother set him in the
shop that day. They were wet about thirty twenty five
thirty paintings. Yeah, and James he wanted twenty five dollars
(06:03):
apiece for them. And so when he came back, I
told him if if if you leave him here, I'll
do my best to sell as many as I could.
And me and my brother that day sold every painting
he had.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Not to himself.
Speaker 7 (06:16):
So and James gave me a painting in nineteen seventy two,
can send me black and white.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
So that was special to me for years.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
He asked me to kiss you.
Speaker 7 (06:27):
Yes, I still have the painting. Matter of fact, I
probably should have brought that in, but yes, there's no
way to see it in.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Well, sometimes we do video, but today it was just
on the audio.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Yes, So what was your perception.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Did he ever did James Gibson ever talk to you
about the Highwayman? Remember nineteen eighty eight, This is sixteen
years before he got in the Hall of Fame in
two thousand and four. Yes, so all right.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Oh, they weren't even called Highwayman.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
H yeah, right, yeah, Jeff Fitch, Yes, yes, what did
he ever talk to you about the other artists?
Speaker 4 (06:59):
Always just his art?
Speaker 7 (07:02):
Well, I think James was such a great ambassador because
of the fact he had a lot of energy and
he and he wasn't afraid to go around talking to people.
He had a tremendous, uh should I say, vocal presentation,
(07:22):
a very businessman like and I couldn't see James ever
getting kicked out of anywhere.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
It's kind of person he was.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Well my perception, he was well dooted. He was always
in suit, maybe a tie, very polite, he never never
raised his voice, very gentle and very respectful. And you
can't help us like a person like that. And he
always treated you like you're special. Yes, he talked to
(07:52):
He was good a wonderful gals.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
A consummate salesman polished, Yes, that's what I always thought.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
He was out pology, but nice man, nice man really was.
Speaker 7 (08:04):
You know that day he needed fifty dollars for frames,
and me and my brother he asked if we would
support him in frames, and uh, you know, an early
business we wrote him mature. We said, James, we're young,
but we're gonna we're gonna believe in you. We're gonna
write your check for fifty dollars for frames. And we did,
(08:25):
and uh, we just became instant friends after that.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Did you keep the canceled check?
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Because I knew he was going to ask you, because
in those days the checks came back.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Now you get copies with this bag, if you even
get a bag.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
If it was Babe Ruth, I would have kept it.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
I'm going to tell you something now. He was equivalent, Yes,
of Babe Ruth in his league of the highwayman.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Yes, how about that? Oh yeah, that that's how high
in the.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Same I wanted to point out to you and nobody
said anything. He charged you in nineteen eighty eight twenty
five dollars for a painting. They were charging twenty five
dollars back in nineteen sixty sixty six as well. I
think it hadn't gone up because from what we've all
done is that it changed everything that they routes. People
(09:14):
were at Disney in eighty eight and they weren't coming
along the US won the way. They had all different
highways and byways. So everything that James had been doing
had changed. But in nineteen eighty eight a house was
way more expensive than it had been in sixty six.
So you were getting some deal for twenty five dollars.
Speaker 5 (09:31):
Yes, I really was.
Speaker 7 (09:32):
In fact, the last painting that he painted me in
his house was a sunset and I paid twelve hundred
dollars for it four thirty and that was twenty twelve.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
You still have that I sold?
Speaker 3 (09:45):
It?
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Is that when I bought.
Speaker 5 (09:47):
That's the one. Yeah, that's what I had. That's the
one you bought.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
As you can't you can tell everybody there's a mutual
love and affection and respect with Todd and I. Uh
were as close as two males can becomes are as
friends and brothers.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
And you have been a mentor in a way to me.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I will tell I don't mean to embarrass you, but
thank you because you have helped make me a better person.
You've taught me to forgive. You've taught me that that
is a good gesture. Maybe selfish, because I feel better
when I get out of my system. But when we
harbor anger and we want to get even, we built
(10:31):
up a certain negative feature in our personality. And I
want to thank you in person on the air, to
thank you for helping me become a better person.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
I appreciate that sincerely from you.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Know what they say, forgiveness is a present you give yourself.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Yes, it's it's a good feeling.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
So back to I.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Keep I'm taking notes because I'm going to do a
little article on Todd. He's been asking me to do
this for a while. And what came up in my
mind when I was listening to you Wall is that
you sold him a twenty four by thirty from twenty twelve.
By then James was in He would die five years
later in twenty seventeen, and he was into his new style,
(11:13):
the heavy palette knife, the modern style, the style that
is in the Rockefeller collection. Bus is in John Jetson's collection.
If you come to the show where the receptionist is,
there are jumbola James Gibson's with the most incredible Ponciana's
three D that you've ever seen. So was it like that?
(11:33):
Was it heavy duty?
Speaker 5 (11:34):
Do you remember? Very much?
Speaker 3 (11:35):
So very much, so well, Susan they're referring to is
the January thirty first, twenty twenty six is coming January
after New Year's at forty one forty five South US one,
just north of Midway Road, the west side of the
street and the way you can recognize it, as my
granddaughter used to say it, we'll have the yumongous American
(11:57):
flag on the poll facing one.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
We're going to take a short break. We'll be right back.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
We're talking about our dear friend, the legendary Hall of
Fame high Woman out Black.
Speaker 6 (12:13):
I'm doctor Tim Iinitus at Treasure Coast Dermatology. At Treasure
Coast Dermatology, we believe in the prevention and early detection
of skin cancer. We are medical doctors and we focus
on the medical aspects of dermatology. You don't need a
sales pitch for botox, collagen or wrinkle creams. You needed
a doctor that cares about you and the health of
your skin. We feel by not trying to do too much.
(12:34):
We can do more for our patients.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Cal Tolfree eight seven seven eight seven zero dirm that's
eight seven seven eight seven zero three three seven six.
Meet Henry Bach patients of Florida I Institute.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
After having the cataracts removed, it was a whole new
world for me. The colors were brilliant, it was painless.
It could almost like being born all over again. I'm
coming here. It's like coming home. Everyone's so friendly and nice.
It's just a wonderful experience.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Are you ready to experience truly exceptional patient care Florida
I Institute.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Hey, did you hear the latest about our Florida High Woman?
Speaker 3 (13:19):
No?
Speaker 4 (13:19):
What, there's a new High Woman art gallery in Ero Beach.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Really where eighteen seventy two Commerce Avenue?
Speaker 7 (13:26):
Wow?
Speaker 4 (13:26):
When's it open?
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Seven days a week.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Called nine five four five five seven six two two six.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
For an appointment any time, No kidding, Just call.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
For your appointment ninety five four five five seven six
two two six and then go to eighteen seventy two
Commerce Avenue. Wow, that's good news.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
A member of the itex trading community, your I text
dollars are welcome.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Away.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Everybody Yeah, welcome back to Hormin and Sours radio show.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
Thank you for being with us.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
We're talking with Todd Martin legacy high woman artists, who
was mentored.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
By James Gibson. And now Black.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Okay, now, how did you you know we met? Now
we're dealing together, we're not even doing business yet together,
and then our relationship just from from upstairs revolved into
one of the most beautiful relationships the two men can have.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
So how you decided you wanted to meet Al Black?
Speaker 5 (14:24):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (14:24):
And so we gave it. We got you the address,
and you went cold that you're good at this. I
am not cold Turkey. You went up to four days?
That would be.
Speaker 7 (14:36):
Two thousand and twenty, the end of twenty one, four
or five years ago, yes, end of twenty one.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
So you drive up there? Yes? Tell us? How? Yes?
What do you do?
Speaker 3 (14:47):
You're walking in You're in Fort Pierce. You know where
he's living. He doesn't know you from Adam. I don't
know if you mentioned my name or Susan's name. Okay,
So he opens the door. How'd you open any conversation? Know?
Speaker 7 (15:00):
He was he was painting in the back and I
just happened to walk up there and you know a
little bit timid, I would say, at first, but he came,
he really made me feel pretty much at home. Wanted
to know, you know, what I was looking for, And
(15:21):
I told him I really wanted to, you know, purchase
a few paintings from me if I could. And I
think our first meeting together was you know, just getting
to know each other, and then after that we warmed
up to just a tremendous friendship.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
What would you say, was there any one common denominator
that you can say that he and you kind of
bonded with, whether it's collecting coins, believing in God, or
just having the same month birthday.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
Is there any one particular thing that bonded you.
Speaker 7 (15:56):
Well, my faith is always been a big part of
my life, and uh kind of transformed me. And I
think that getting to talk with Al Black a little
bit more and.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
His life.
Speaker 7 (16:12):
That you know, you you buy an now Black painting.
It's very rare that it doesn't have three births and
and those represent the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and UH,
which which represent our faith and and that was a
big connection for me and him.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Okay, how did he connect with you on that?
Speaker 4 (16:30):
Uh?
Speaker 7 (16:31):
Well, our connection was you know, I think of a
changed heart of a changed person.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
It made it.
Speaker 7 (16:42):
It made it that much easier to deal with him,
and uh, everything else was it just didn't fall into place,
but it seemed like it was pretty simple.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
How long do you think it took before the walls
came down and the hands up came down and now
the embrace of a relationship developed? How long did like
with It took me a couple of years with Rodney. No.
With Chico took me at least a year. With Rodney
Mariette it took me probably a couple of years. So
(17:14):
it takes a little while when a stranger comes in
and to somebody and developed that person into their life.
How long if you had a guess, was it two months?
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Six months?
Speaker 6 (17:25):
A year?
Speaker 5 (17:25):
Not very long?
Speaker 7 (17:26):
Because I had looked at some of his paintings and
things and got to realizing that, you know, he's painting
not the same old thing, but just the same old
style on different kinds of things. And Uh, I went
home and had a couple of skinny frames and ended
up bringing them back to him and cut the boards out, uh,
(17:49):
and and really coded him myself.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
And explained what you mean by coding well.
Speaker 7 (17:55):
The the old masonite boards. After ups on board, they
would coat the board with yes, well jesup was a
different but the use kilts and maybe get put a
at least coat the board well enough to where you
could paint on it, because you really couldn't paint it
(18:16):
oil painting on it unless you did code it.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
What would happen to a painting if it was painted
on the board uncoded.
Speaker 7 (18:22):
It would crack or or it would you know, or
the paint which just wouldn't set up just properly, wouldn't
take to the board. So you know, I I had
something in mind for Al Black and ended up he
put the colors together for it was like an eight
(18:44):
by twenty two, really different size a pair, and it
ended up put him in Ron Rennick's auction and they
just exploded and everybody wanted some.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
So what did he do differently?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
It was a pair for one thing?
Speaker 5 (18:58):
Well, yeah, this ale.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
These were old highwaymen style, uh back when they would
you know, they would probably cut a board of ups
and piece board and what they had left over they'd
make pairs with it. So those being Al Black's age
that they were and everything, you just didn't see them
very much anymore. You'd have to go to an auction
to buy an EPs and piece, maybe Harolds or Sam
(19:24):
Newton's or anyone that had painted pears back then. But
Al Black didn't have very many pairs that to speak
of that we know of.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
And I think you and I started, yeah that, yes, yes,
And the beautiful they really are.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Was in some of the what was the composition of them?
Speaker 5 (19:44):
What were they? You know? Al loved to his favorite
his favorite color was falo blue.
Speaker 7 (19:52):
And with a little bit of brown in it, and
and then also he would put purple with brown in
the sky and things like that. So these just happened
to be a little bit of a flow blue with
some pink and and they were just beautiful and and uh,
they sold, they sold right away.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
But his palm trees, he did a beautiful job in
the on the palm trees. Yes, it's just they exue
beauty when you look at him, just feel it.
Speaker 7 (20:19):
You know that that just transpired into my creativity because
then his talent.
Speaker 5 (20:31):
And his ability to be able.
Speaker 7 (20:32):
To paint anything that I gave him, he was great
at putting things together. And and we did so many,
uh you know, with Ray and our FrameMaker, Ray Steel,
fantastic and we cut so many different shapes and style
of boards that people have got them in their houses
(20:53):
because of that.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
Today, well we you and I also e seemly lucky
because we literally commissioned back Black to paint paintings that
we asked him to, or you would give him either
would give him photocopies of a Bacus painting or hero painting,
or you would sketch on on pencil what you would like,
or we were literally would give him a picture a
(21:15):
photo from our phone of what we're looking for. And
people don't realize how quality, quality wise, how talented Al
Black was when he wanted to put the time and effort.
Obviously there's more money in assembly line, get him, paint him,
get him out sell them. But when we gave him
commissioned ones and other people, he took his time and
(21:37):
you could see the difference in the quality.
Speaker 7 (21:40):
Yes, And I think one of the great things about
Al Black too is that he never forgot where he
came from. Bacchus played a big role in his life,
and he didn't let that you forget it. I mean
he he would mention that whether he was painting a painting,
(22:00):
he might uh say, well, you know, Alan black or
Beanie Backers told me one time that if if I
had your color, if you had their your colors and
they had your hands, he said, you'd be one bad
black boy.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
So, uh, yeah, that I just love.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (22:25):
He talks when he paints, and things come to his mind,
and he's very appreciative of his past.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
We're going to take a break in a minute or so.
When we come back, I want to talk when you
started to paint, and Susan and I can see how
the dial changes on the quality unbelievable. But do you
recall the last time you were in this studio with
Alan Susan?
Speaker 5 (22:50):
Yes, I do.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Susan was across from me. Al was sitting over here,
and I don't know where you were sitting.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
You were right where I was here, and he was
here in this that's what.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
And Susan and I dropped our jaws because if you
watch me now, we're audio not visual.
Speaker 4 (23:08):
He was dancing in his chair. He was as livid
and happy.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Uh. In his portrayal, it was absolutely magnificent. He was
just jumping into joy like a little kid in a.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Let me excuse me, I have to say, well, three
of you were like I was in that chair and
I was watching it shaking my head, and it was
a lot. Probably I've been doing the show since you started.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
I was your first.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
When I first got it.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Was probably one of the lively shows as far as
people moving and laughing and going on.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
And when we had him in the very last show
we ever had in the gallery at eighteen seventy two
Commerce in Vero Beach, is you remember the show was
wonderful and now the show's over. Now he puts his
hair down, and that death half an hour where he
sang and he preached and nothing to do with painting
(24:00):
whatever showed the true meaning of his personality. That would
have been probably March, Yes, I think it was like
March fifth or something.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Yes, how much weight did he lost? By them at.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
That time he had not yet lost weight, because we
had a show scheduled for May fifth, a few months later,
and that would have been on a Sunday, And the
preceding Tuesday is when he was hospitalized. And anyway, we'll
finish this in a second.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
We need to take a break. We'll be right back. Everybody,
thank you being with us.
Speaker 6 (24:35):
Okay, So I sus
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