One of the original "Florida Highwaymen" will soon leave his mark on Gainesville.

Al Black, one of the original nine "Highwaymen," a group of young African-American painters from South Florida who sold their works up and down the Atlantic Coast beginning in the 1950s, has been commissioned for the latest 352walls/Gainesville Urban Art Initiative mural.

Known for his vivid landscapes, sunrises and sunsets, Black will begin his mural late Tuesday afternoon, and continue into Wednesday and Thursday mornings downtown at 602 N. Main St. 

The public is invited to bring their folding chairs and experience the artist at work.

Raquel Vallejo, project manager with 352walls, said she got the idea to pursue Black as a muralist after seeing works by the Highwaymen in the antique mall near her home in Micanopy.

"We're very, very excited," Vallejo said. "I've been spending some quality time with him and his agent and so hopefully we'll start a very historic mural for the city of Gainesville on Tuesday."

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Vallejo said the 8-by-32-foot mural will be painted on panels, which will allow the city to move it if it becomes necessary.

"We're going to be able to keep that memory alive," she said.

Black will be assisted by regional muralist/graphic artist Fabian Sanchez throughout the painting process.

Black, born in Mississippi in 1945, was charged with fraud and drug possession in 1997 and sentenced to 12 years in prison. While incarcerated at the Central Florida Reception Center, Black was recognized as one of the Highwaymen artists following media coverage of their induction into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.

Black was then permitted and encouraged to paint murals throughout the facility and in other prisons. By 2006, he had created more than 100 murals for the Florida Department of Corrections.

"That was his saving grace and he became redeemed," Vallejo said of Black.

The Highwaymen began their artistic journey in the 1950s in Fort Pierce as a way to make a living outside of the typical jobs held by African-Americans, such as those in the citrus groves, tomato fields and factories, according to the Smithsonian Institute.

The artists used cheap materials and a “fast-painting” technique, which allowed them to produce dozens of works each day and sell them at low prices in order to make a profit. The oil paintings typically sold for about $25, and today are worth thousands.

The group of 26 artists, including one woman, created more than 200,000 works from the mid-1950s to 1970, according to the Smithsonian.

The “artists are recognized for the vibrant and timeless nature of their images,” according to the Smithsonian, which commonly featured beaches, marshes, water birds and palm trees.

Barred from showing their works in many galleries due to racism and segregation, the group began selling their works from the trunks of their cars on the sides of roadways.

The artists received their moniker after collector Jim Finch wrote an article and referred to them as “Highwaymen” due to their sales method.

Common buyers included doctors, lawyers, real estate agents and motel owners, according to the Smithsonian.