Highwaymen Obelisk

Highwaymen Obelisk. . , Constructed in 2009, the Florida Highwaymen Obelisk is a central feature of The Highwaymen Heritage Trail, a self-guided commemorative trail and complimentary website honoring the Florida Highwaymen, a loose association of black Florida artists from the Fort Pierce area, celebrated today their contribution to the visual arts and African American cultural heritage., The upper portion of the sculpture is completely embellished with hand-glazed ceramic mosaic tile interpreting sections of paintings done by the Highwaymen. The images are arranged in a rainbow flowing from top to bottom from red, green, blue and finally orange. The obelisk is adorned with a "hat" covered in metallic tile, which glistens in the sunlight and represents hope., The imagery at the bottom portion of the obelisk is done in hand-carved ceramic tile in the style of woodcuts. Each of the four sides of the sculpture features different Highwaymen scenes: A car from which they sold their artwork, Florida Artists Hall of Fame Award, an artist at work and a painting board attached to a tree trunk., Designed by artist Stephanie Jaffe Werner and unanimously chosen by Lincoln Park Main Street and the City of Fort Pierce Art in Public Places review committee as the best of three artists' proposed designs, the obelisk features hand-carved ceramics and ceramic mosaic over concrete. Mosaika Art and Design of Canada fabricated the mosaics. Doyle Masonry of Fort Pierce built the obelisk., Stephanie Jaffe Werner is a mixed media artist who works with the primary vehicles of mixed media sculpture and public art. Her fascination with assemblage began as a small child, when she glued the pieces of the game "Candy Land" to her basement walls. Possessing a dual BFA in glass and ceramics from the Tyler School of Art, Stephanie's work combines her technical expertise with a robust passion for antiques, collectibles, and artifacts. Her present period focuses on an acclaimed series of mosaic paintings and topiary sculptures created from handmade ceramics, tiles, and found objects., Stephanie now maintains her studio in Miami, Florida. Her work, spanning three decades, has been exhibited and sold in galleries and museums across the country. She has been commissioned for both private and public art collections. She is best known for the obelisk public art sculpture honoring The Florida Highwaymen. A collection of her mosaic paintings can be seen installed throughout the Franklin Hotel on East 87th Street in New York City., When asked to describe her work, Ms. Werner explained, "When approaching a public art commission, I seek to create a dialogue with a specific people, place or time - be it relevant to the present day or commissioned to satisfy a historical context. Public art is a powerful tool that, when effectively executed, will instill a great sense of community pride and serve to enhance the site for which it has specifically been designed. To me, these types of art projects are the most fulfilling.", The obelisk stands 19 feet tall and is 5 feet wide and includes more than 700 square feet of art. The budget for the creation was $90,000 and was funded through the St. Lucie County and the City of Fort Pierce Art in Public Places programs., (Captions) , Mosaika Art and Design , Stephanie Jaffe Werner