Sam McCoy | Florida Roadside : Heller Groves

Florida Roadside series: Growing up in Orlando didn’t always mean vacations at Disney World, but roadtrips on old Florida highways to fruit stands, cool springs, and historic landmarks. Historic landmarks in Florida were the tourist spots that came before the mega theme parks of Central Florida. This series looks back on roadside curiosities that were passion projects of botanical enthusiasts, resort towns that exploited the natural landscapes and people of the area, and whimsical parks that drew in thousands of snowbirds throughout the 19th and 20th century. The spaces I paint still exist today.

Heller Bros. owned most of the orange groves where I lived growing up. Their signs were on every lot until most were burned down to build parking lots and apartments. This painting is a collage of scenes outside my window from trees down and broken fences to pretty skies and Heller signs.