October 31, 2007 - Gertrude Walker Keynote Speaker for Nov. 4 Highwaymen Event

St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections Gertrude Walker will be the keynote speaker for the Highwaymen Artists Hall of Fame event on Sunday, Nov. 4 from noon - 4 p.m. at the Fort Pierce Community Center, 600 North Indian River Drive.

Walker is married to wildlife artist Charles Walker. Both he and her late brother, Livingston ''Castro'' Roberts are original Highwaymen artists and 2004 inductees of the Florida Artist Hall of Fame. Each of the 26 Highwaymen or their living relatives will receive a replicated Artists Hall of Fame Award and will have examples of their work on display and/or available for purchase.

Walker painted and sold her work along with her husband and brother, during the '60s and '70s, but was not included in the induction ceremony. In 1980, upon becoming Supervisor of Elections, the increasing demands of her job and family caused her to relegate her painting career to hobby status. She now donates her work to charity.

The first African American elected as Supervisor of Elections in Florida, Walker is a native of Miami, but attended Lincoln Park Academy in Fort Pierce. She and many of the original Highwaymen were students of art teacher Zanobia Jefferson. Jefferson will be honored at this event since she was the one who introduced the Highwaymen and other students to art which provided the foundation for their successful careers. Ossie Wright a renowned musician, who was also a student of Jefferson, will provide the music for the Artists Hall of Fame Celebration event.

Sunday's event includes a raffle of an original James Gibson painting. Tickets are $10 each and are on sale now through Sunday at the Cultural Affairs Office inside the Fort Pierce Community Center. Proceeds from the raffle will benefit the Cultural Affairs Council (CAC) Youth Scholarship Fund.

For more information on this event or the St. Lucie County Cultural Affairs Council call (772) 462-1767.

Additionally as part of a Highwaymen weekend in St. Lucie County, several artists including Al Black, Kevin Hair, Isaac Knight and Johnny Stovall will be presenting their artwork in front of the Fort Pierce Library on Saturday, Nov. 3 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The art show will be held in conjunction with a program by author Gary Monroe in the meeting room of the Library at 1 p.m. Monroe is the author of ''The Highwaymen'' and ''Harold Newton: The Original Highwayman.'' The author will have a book signing and the artists will be signing the books and greeting the public. The artwork will be available for purchase.

The Fort Pierce Library is located at 101 Melody Lane. For more information, please call Vicki at (772) 462-2787.

These programs are free and registration is not required.