Brief info
Rodney Demps, also known as "the surrealist Highwayman," stands out among the original 26 Florida Highwaymen painters due to his distinctive approach as an artist. Unlike his fellow Highwaymen, Demps did not sell his artwork on the road. However, he is still considered part of the group because of his direct connection to A.E. "Bean" Backus, a locally renowned white painter who mentored some of the Highwaymen painters, and Alfred Hair, the artist who, along with Harold Newton, played a significant role in bringing together the loosely affiliated African American "fast" painters. These painters would sell their artworks door-to-door along the highways of Florida.
Rodney Demps, born in 1953 in Fort Pierce, Florida, displayed a keen interest in art from a young age. In a 2013 video interview conducted by The Highwaymen Trail, an organization dedicated to preserving the heritage of Fort Pierce and supported by the Florida Humanities Council, Demps shared his journey into the world of art. He revealed that his artistic journey began during his time at Lincoln Park Academy, where he attended a class for seniors (8th graders). Miss Zanobia Jefferson, his art instructor, played a pivotal role in his artistic development. One day, she took him uptown to meet Bean Backus, an influential figure in the art community. Demps would frequently visit Backus and observe him as he painted. Through these experiences, Demps honed his skills in oil painting. Initially messy, Demps discovered that with practice, his technique became cleaner and more refined.