James Gibson was central to the group dynamic when it formed, but more than others, nurtured his professional career. His artwork stood apart, too. He did not use the unrestrained long brushstrokes that were a staple of the Highwaymen’s fast painting. Rather, Gibson’s paintings were made with flat color depicting simple motifs, moonlit landscapes being a particular favorite. His use of intense Kool-Aid colors accounted for striking scenes that captured, in their own way, the Florida experience. For a time, this art was looked down on; the label “motel art” was affixed to the work. Given the era in which the paintings were made—the 1960s and 70s—this might be a fair moniker, as it reflects the exotica of the Florida dream.