Ask Margaret
I heard that a huge collection of Florida art has been
donated to the University of Florida’s Harn Museum of Art
in Gainesville. Where did it originate?
M.P., Lutz
The 1,200-piece, Florida-themed collection along with
extensive supporting materials was a gift from Samuel and
Roberta (Robbie) Vickers of Jacksonville. For more than 40
years, the art, including works from the early 1800s to now,
was displayed throughout their riverside home before it was
transferred to the museum.
Many of the included artists are known more for their work
outside the state of Florida. Some, such as John Singer Sargent,
spent relatively little time here. The artist painted a portrait of
oil baron John D. Rockefeller at his winter home in Ormond
Beach, plus watercolors of alligators and palmetto thickets.
The Vickers say the collection is about how the State of Florida
grew and in some ways was mismanaged. It shows the state’s
beauty as it once was. As Florida natives, they appreciate the
sunshine, sandy beaches and water, but believe there is much
more to the state. What the artists saw and recorded reveals
much of that beauty.
134 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
by Margaret Word Burnside
The Vickers began their art journey in 1980 during a trip
to New York City, where they saw an 1884 aerial view of
Jacksonville, which they thought might have been painted
from a dirigible. They focused their collection on artists who
came to Florida and created work here. As Sam traveled for
business around the country and the world, he continued to
shop at everything from “junk” shops to galleries in his quest,
keeping scrupulously detailed records for each purchase. He
assembled an extensive library about the artists and their works
and studied carefully. Sam Vickers is more than a collector. He
is a scholar and a historian of Florida art. The couple did not
collect for decoration. They looked for the inner soul of each
painting. Robbie, who is an artist, and Sam both looked at
each piece in depth from a multitude of levels and viewpoints.
They meticulously sought a permanent home for their
collection. They wanted it to be protected and preserved where
it would be widely seen and kept together as a visual history of