Painting allowed her to provide for her family, and she would do so in the backyard when the kids were in the house sleeping. If needed she could always run back into the house.
She says she was never scared. Had a .45 with her when she was driving alone in case her car broke down or someone approached her.
She is inspiration comes from what catches her eye driving along: "It's always something interesting to me that God created."
She says at the beginning, there was only eight or 10 Florida Highwaymen.
She says they weren't a "group." Sometimes they would get together, paint with one another to see who could paint best.
Carroll talks about throwing paint on another member who didn't let her get to her paint: "I didn't play around."
Says "monkey see, monkey do" is how they got together.
"I was better than them," she says to hoots of laughter and slaps of applause.
She never challenged any of them individually, says she didn't want to lose, but adamant she was better.
All their paintings were sold out of the car, they would go door-to-door. It was only the guys who set up on the side of the road she says.
Carroll would sell an 18x24 painting for $12.50 in the late 1950s.
Carroll keeps the attention of the crowd as she answers the questions to much laughter.
She says she paints from an image in her mind, not from what she sees in the moment.
Says she painted abstracts, landscapes, seascapes. Whatever comes to her mind.
Half a dozen people are still standing at the back of the room, nodding as she continues to speak.
Admits door-to-door selling takes a certain personality, said there were certain places she wouldn't go.
Carroll said she has taught at over 200 places in Florida.
Closing remarks are beginning as Tony Hayton tells of how he first learned of Mary Ann Carroll and the Florida Highwaymen.
He says the 26 artists "painting the wiles of Florida" reminded him of Canada's Group of 7.
The man currently speaking was the one who penned the letter to Vicki Heyman last year. His name is Tony Hayton and he says their story is a living story.
Tony gave the last remarks. Thanking Mary Ann for coming here and stressing the importance of remembering the Florida Highwaymen story.
