Florida artist James Gibson, a renowned Florida Highwaymen artist, was recently commissioned by Governor Jeb Bush to create several Florida landscape paintings for display in the Executive Office. On Tuesday May 6, Gibson presented the Governor with six new, stunning works created especially for the Governor. The paintings will remain on display in the reception area of the Governor’s Office through the end of the Governor’s term.

"Mr. Gibson's wonderful artwork captures Florida's unique landscape, and I am so pleased that he has allowed us to share his art with visitors to the Governor's Office," Governor Bush said. "I thank him and the rest of the Highwaymen for all that they do to share the beauty of our state through their paintings."

James Gibson is well known as one of the earliest Florida Highwaymen artists, literally selling paintings from the trunk of his car in the 1950’s. He began taking painting lessons at age 18, took a detour as a college student studying biology at Tennessee State University, and then returned to his first choice of becoming a working artist. He has since dedicated his work to the Florida landscape; painting the scenes he grew up with -- mangrove swamps and palms, bogs and sunsets -- all of the things that make Florida’s landscape unique. Gibson is now considered an accomplished artist and he helped to establish an art genre known as Florida’s Indian River School. Two of his paintings were recently featured in Steven Spielberg's movie Catch Me if You Can. He was featured in the 2003 Art for Living Calendar and was one of the Florida artists selected to do an ornament for the White House Christmas Tree in 2002.

To learn more about James Gibson, visit his website at: www.highwaymenjamesgibson.com