Brief info
John Jetson, a Highwaymen collector, expressed in a 2015 Treasure Coast Business interview that upon meeting George Buckner, a Highwaymen artist, he immediately recognized him as a genuine individual. Jetson described Buckner as a true gentleman, emphasizing that he was the most exceptional man he had ever encountered.
Buckner, born in 1942 in Gifford, a historic African American enclave just north of Vero Beach, Florida, came from a large family of 12 children. Among his siblings was his brother Ellis Buckner, who also became a renowned Highwaymen painter. Although the artistic community that influenced the Highwaymen was primarily located 20 miles south in Fort Pierce, it had little impact on the lives of the young Buckner brothers. However, as they entered their late teens, they crossed paths with Harold Newton, another Gifford native and Highwaymen painter. This encounter would later inspire Buckner to join the group.