Charles Wheeler
Charles “Chico” Wheeler
(1945−2019)
Palms in a Storm
Oil on Masonite board, undated
H: 19 ¼” W: 23 ½”
Acquired in 2005
A native of Fort Pierce, Charles “Chico” Wheeler learned to paint Highwaymen landscapes from his friend Livingston Roberts. Wheeler worked for many years as a fruit picker in the citrus groves, and he painted with Roberts when he came in from the fields. He was the last of the twenty-six painters that Gary Monroe identified as a Highwayman. Wheeler returned to painting landscapes as interest in the Highwaymen artists intensified during the 1990s. He received his nickname “Chico” from a coach in high school. An athlete in high school and college, he enjoyed following team sports and fishing for pleasure.
