May 30, 2023 – (KEY WEST, FL).  On Wednesday, June 7, history and media studies professor Dr. David Morton will give a talk on the history of filmmaking in Florida as part of the Key West Art & Historical Society’s Distinguished Speaker Series.  His lecture entitled, “Motion Pictures at a Great Savings!  A History of Florida’s Film and Television Industry” takes place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton Street.
Often overlooked in its contribution to film history, Florida has played a key role in creating the modern entertainment industry.  Morton’s presentation will discuss how Florida became a “third coast” to the American film and television industries over the past one hundred years.  Starting with the first film pioneers in Jacksonville during the 1900s and 1910s to South Florida’s television boom during the 2000s and 2010s, Florida has inspired countless exciting stories captured by the camera.
“The history of filmmaking in Florida offers an alternate universe of sorts, raising the question, what would the American motion picture industry might have looked like if it had not been incumbered by the hegemony of the Hollywood studio system?” says Morton.  “Unlike California, where the center of production has consistently been centered around Los Angeles, at different times over the past one hundred years Florida has had several different major production hubs.”
Several films will be highlighted during his presentation including “The Flying Ace,” “The Yearling,” and “Creature from the Black Lagoon.”  Of particular interest to attendees will be an emphasis on the motion picture “Carib Gold” that was filmed largely in Key West during the 1950s.  Staring Ethel Waters, Coley Wallace, and Cicely Tyson, “Carib Gold” is a maritime-themed B-movie that tells the story of a sailor on a shrimp boat fishing off the Florida Keys who discovers a sunken treasure of gold while diving to repair some nets.  Trying to lay claim to the treasure, violence erupts onboard the vessel resulting in the death of the captain.  A manhunt ensues through the Keys by the harbor police and in several local seedy bars until the killer is brought to justice.
The presenter, David Morton, received his Ph.D. in Texts and Technology from the University of Central Florida in 2019, where he also is an instructor in both History and Media Studies.  He was a recipient of the 2016-17 Fulbright scholarship and serves as program director for the Flickering Landscapes Conference Series.  His forthcoming book, “Motion Pictures at Great Saving: A History of the Florida Film and Television Industry” is expected for publication in 2023 with University Press of Florida.
To reserve tickets for the lecture; visit kwahs.org/dss-morton  - $12 for KWAHS members, $15 for non-members.  Funding for this program was provided by Florida Humanities and sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture.  Additional support provided by The Helmerich Trust, Aloys & Carol Metty and The John & Marilyn Rintamaki Family Charitable Fund.  For more information, contact Cori Convertito, Ph.D. at 305-295-6616 x507 or cconvertito@kwahs.org.  Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.
​

May 15, 2023 – (KEY WEST, FL).  On May 31, the Key West Art & Historical Society will open its latest exhibition, “Sushi in the Shoe: Celebrating 25 Years of New Year’s Eve Drop” that will showcase many of the iconic dresses designed and worn by world renowned drag queen Sushi, also known as Gary Marion.  The exhibition will also contain a sampling of accompanying jewelry, shoes, portraits, and global coverage of the annual event.  The Society welcomes the public to a special reception on May 31 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Key West Museum of Art & History, 281 Front Street, to mark the exhibit opening and to help kick off Pride Month.

For a quarter of a century, Sushi starred in the Bourbon Street Pub’s New Year’s Eve festivities—a warm weather takeoff on New York City’s Times Square ball drop—that is styled the Red Shoe Drop.  Each December 31, wearing an extravagant self-designed and hand-sewn gown, Sushi balanced in a woman’s sparkly red heeled shoe constructed of fiberglass and glitter high above Duval Street, exciting the thousands of partygoers below.  Seconds before midnight, the red shoe containing Sushi was lowered from Bourbon Street’s second-story balcony as the clock neared midnight.  The New Year’s Eve Red Shoe Drop became so well-known that it has been featured numerous times on national and international New Year’s Eve television programs such as CNN.

“The shoe drop started twenty-five years ago.  OMG, it’s been a wild ride,” says Marion.  “Joey Schroeder approached me and said, ‘I am building a red high heel shoe and I want you to sit in it!’  At the time he asked, I was the janitor at the Bourbon Street Complex cleaning toilets seven days a week.  I also did a drag show there once a week.  I said, ‘Of course, darling, sounds fabulous.’  I never knew that it would become as iconic as it did.”

Each year, the extravagant dress worn by Marion was kept secret until he maneuvered into the red shoe high above the crowd.  Eager to astonish the crowd, Marion spent months leading up to the drop poring through fashion magazines to find inspiration for each elaborate dress.  No two are alike.  They range in color, style, material, and accessories.  Once the drop concluded, Marion placed the dresses, wigs, and jewelry into storage.  This exhibition will bring together several of the original gowns along with short narratives about the dresses’ origins and material source.
​
“Sushi in the Shoe: Celebrating 25 Years of the New Year’s Eve Drop” runs until July 2, 2023, in the Bryan Gallery and is sponsored by the Florida Department of State, Division of Arts & Culture and The Helmerich Trust.  For more information, call Cori Convertito at 305-295-6616 x 507 or cconvertito@kwahs.org.  Your Museums.  Your Community.  It Takes an Island.

May 8, 2023 – (KEY WEST, FL).  On Saturday, May 20, join Florida Keys historian Dr. Cori Convertito as she considers the history and sinking of the USS Maine as part of the Key West Art & Historical Society’s Distinguished Speaker Series.  Her talk entitled, “Remember the Maine: 125th Anniversary of the Sinking” takes place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton Street.

The USS Maine, a 6682-ton second-class battleship, was built at the New York Navy Yard and commissioned in September 1895.  Her active career was spent operating along the east coast of the United States and in the Caribbean, including much time in Key West.  In January 1898, she was ordered to Havana, Cuba, to protect U.S. interests during a time of local insurrection and civil disturbances.  Three weeks later, on 15 February, the battleship was sunk by a massive explosion that killed the great majority of her crew.

“The ship receives considerable attention as the flashpoint that initiates the Spanish-American War and is the centerpiece for yellow journalism that proliferated during that era,” says Convertito.  “Interest in this battleship has endured for 125 years and has, at times, provoked controversy as to the true cause of her sinking.”

The presenter, Dr. Cori Convertito, has served as the curator and historian for the Key West Art & Historical Society for the last twelve years while also acting as an adjunct instructor of American History at the College of the Florida Keys.  She received her Ph.D. in maritime history from the University of Exeter.  She presents regularly at the US Naval Academy, the UK’s National Maritime Museum and is a Florida Humanities “Florida Talks” scholar.

To reserve your spot at the lecture; visit kwahs.org/upcoming-events - $12 for KWAHS members, $15 for non-members.  This program is sponsored in part by the Florida Department of State: Division of Arts and Culture, with additional support provided by The Helmerich Trust.  For more information, contact Cori Convertito, Ph.D. at 305-295-6616 x507 or cconvertito@kwahs.org.  Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

May 8, 2023 – (KEY WEST, FL).  The Key West Art & Historical Society has expanded the number of summer camp sessions and is now offering six one-week summer ArtCamps! at Fort East Martello Museum, 3501 South Roosevelt Boulevard.  Beginning June 5, ArtCamp! will provide full-day, in-person, week-long summer camp experiences for curious learners aged 5 to 12.  Campers will experience museum exhibits, enjoy the adjacent Martello Parade Grounds, and engage in fun activities, collaborative projects, and hands-on STEAM activities.

Using the art, history, and creativity of the Florida Keys as a jumping-off point, campers have the chance to engage in fun, inspired activities that will ignite their imaginations!  Whether your camper enjoys piratical pursuits, creative expression with found objects, storytelling, or choosing their own adventure—or perhaps all four—the Key West Art & Historical Society offers a variety of options for summertime learning and exploration.

“Due to the popularity of our other summer ArtCamp! sessions, we are delighted to add additional weeks of camp for our families,” says Kassandra Collett, education specialist for the Society. “Each week of camp explores a new art or history topic which immerses campers in exciting projects and fascinating history.”

ArtCamp! will be staffed by the Key West Art & Historical Society’s experienced educators and learning experts.  Five weekly sessions will be available throughout the months of June through August, beginning June 5 through August 4.  The camp day will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The program kicks off with campers discovering what life was like for eighteenth century Caribbean pirates.  There will be numerous pirate-themed activities, crafts, and codebreaking which will culminate in campers finding treasure in our local waters.  Later camps include “Art in Nature,” a Wreckers Camp that will transport campers back in time to live a day in the life of a wrecking captain during Key West’s golden age, “Crafting with Beads,” “Out of this World Arts and Crafts,” and the ever-popular “Adventure Camp” in which campers are invited to work together on puzzles and projects to bring balance back to a mythical world.
​
Summer ArtCamp! registration is currently open.  The cost is $200 per week for Society members and $250 per week for non-members.  Supplies for each camp are provided by the organization.  Space is limited, early registration is encouraged.  For additional information about ArtCamp!, visit www.kwahs.org/childrens-programs, or contact Kassandra Collett at 305-295-6616 x504, kcollett@kwahs.org.  ArtCamp! is sponsored in part by the Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture and the State of Florida, with additional support provided by The Helmerich Trust.  Your Museums. Your Community. It takes an Island.

April 24, 2023 – (KEY WEST, FL).  On Sunday, May 7, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., join the staff of the Fort East Martello Museum, located at 3501 South Roosevelt Boulevard, to explore one of the island’s Civil War-era forts and its exhibits which encompass our rich and diverse history.  Dubbed “Family Museum Day,” the program is designed to coincide with the Society’s wildly popular Community Day, a day offering free museum admission for Monroe County residents the first Sunday of each month. 

While on the property, families are invited to take a self-guided tour of the fort and citadel, explore the outdoor sculpture garden and view artwork created by celebrated Keys folk artist Stanley Papio.  Another free component of Family Museum Day is that children and adults are encouraged to create art that is inspired by late Key West resident Jack Baron that they can take away as a souvenir of their visit.

“Jack Baron moved to Key West in the late 1970s and began depicting everything from Key West residents to magnificent angels.  His vivid use of color in both tapestries and paintings combined with his use of pointillism generated works of art that are truly unique and inspiring,” says Education Specialist Kassandra Collett.  “Baron’s work is a favorite among students.  Creating their own version of his Key West chickens on Family Museum Day is a great way for students to connect the island’s past with the present.”
​
The Family Museum Day program is free and open to the public. Registration is not required, and all supplies will be provided by the Key West Art & Historical Society.  For additional information about the program, visit kwahs.org/upcoming-events.  You can also contact Collett at 305-295-6616 x504 or kcollett@kwahs.org.  This project is sponsored in part by the Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture and the State of Florida, with additional support provided by The Helmerich Trust.  Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

April 10, 2023 – (KEY WEST, FL).  The Key West Art & Historical Society is pleased to present its latest exhibition “Out of the Box: The Art of the Cigar Label”.  The exhibition offers a compelling sampling and interpretation of nineteenth and early twentieth century inner and outer cigar labels, showcasing more than 40 lithographs related to the Key West and Cuba cigar manufacturers.  The Society welcomes the public to a special reception on April 28 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Key West Museum of Art & History, 281 Front Street, to mark the exhibit opening.

With Cuba’s cigar economy booming in the nineteenth century, people sought similar tobacco-based opportunities outside its borders in order to make financial gains.  Key West’s neighboring proximity to Cuba and its tobacco plantations, a mere 90 miles away, was the ideal place to establish cigar factories.  By using Cuban laborers to roll Cuban grown tobacco, entrepreneurs pioneered the idea of making authentic Cuban cigars in America.  Within a few years, Cuban immigrants arrived by the thousands to seek employment in Key West’s burgeoning cigar industry.

Cigar manufacturers sought out creative avenues to market their own brand of cigars to consumers.  Factory owners turned to a handful of lithographers that were primarily based in New York City and Chicago.  Layering up to 10 colors in a stone-lithography process, and even adding gold leaf embellishments and embossing, vibrant images sold cigars through romantic landscapes, patriotic figures, Grecian representations of women, Spanish and Cuban symbolism, and lush tobacco fields.

“In the early days of large-scale cigar distribution, cigar boxes sat closed on the shelves behind the store counters, with only simple marking to identify the product within,” says Dr. Cori Convertito, curator and historian for the Society.  “The cigar industry grew increasingly competitive with the introduction of countertop humidors which allowed fastidious connoisseurs to inspect the shape, sizes, and colors of the cigars without concern that they could dry up.  Colorful interior labels became fundamental marketing tools, allowing a brand to stand out amongst its competitors.”

Lithographic companies were given specific descriptions of labels they were to produce, and often sent one of their artists to the factory to discuss elements with the owner.  The domestic clear Havana industry used popular Spanish themes or topics on its cigar labels and, in so doing, smokers came to associate any subject even vaguely Spanish with Cuban tobacco and cigars.  Dozens of Key West cigar factories produced hundreds of different brands, each with its own label, many of these reflecting Key West and Cuban themes.
​
“Out of the Box: The Art of the Cigar Label” runs until early October 2023 in the Bumpus Gallery and is sponsored by the Florida Department of State, Division of Arts & Culture and The Helmerich Trust.  For more information, call Cori Convertito at 305-295-6616 x 507 or cconvertito@kwahs.org.  Your Museums.  Your Community.  It Takes an Island.
​

April 10, 2023 – (KEY WEST, FL).  The Key West Art & Historical Society will be offering five one-week summer ArtCamp! sessions at Fort East Martello Museum, 3501 South Roosevelt Boulevard.  Beginning June 5, ArtCamp! will provide full-day, in-person, week-long summer camp experiences for curious learners aged 5 to 12.  Campers will experience museum exhibits, enjoy the adjacent Martello Parade Grounds, and engage in fun activities, collaborative projects, and hands-on STEAM activities.

Using the art, history, and creativity of the Florida Keys as a jumping-off point, campers have the chance to engage in fun, inspired activities that will ignite their imaginations!  Whether your camper enjoys piratical pursuits, creative expression with found objects, storytelling, or choosing their own adventure—or perhaps all four—the Key West Art & Historical Society offers a variety of options for summertime learning and exploration.

“We are thrilled that ArtCamp! will be back again this year at the museum,” says Kassandra Collett, education specialist for the Society.  “We will incorporate several learning opportunities that engage campers in play and discovery, which is so important for their growth and development.  Each day will be a fresh, new experience, both exploring inside the museum and spending time outside.  We look forward to welcoming returning campers as well as meeting many new families.”

ArtCamp! will be staffed by the Key West Art & Historical Society’s experienced educators and learning experts.  Five weekly sessions will be available throughout the months of June through August, beginning June 5 through August 4.  The camp day will run from 9:00am to 3:30pm.

The program kicks off with campers discovering what life was like for eighteenth century Caribbean pirates.  There will be numerous pirate-themed activities, crafts, and codebreaking which will culminate in campers finding treasure in our local waters.  Later camps include “Art in Nature,” a Wreckers Camp that will transport campers back in time to live a day in the life of a wrecking captain during Key West’s golden age, “Crafting with Beads,” and the ever-popular “Adventure Camp” in which campers are invited to work together on puzzles and projects to bring balance back to a mythical world.
​
Summer ArtCamp! registration begins on April 12, 2023.  The cost is $200 per week for Society members and $250 per week for non-members.  Supplies for each camp are provided by the organization.  Space is limited, early registration is encouraged.  For additional information about ArtCamp!, visit www.kwahs.org/childrens-programs, or contact Kassandra Collett at 305-295-6616 x504, kcollett@kwahs.org.  ArtCamp! is sponsored in part by the Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture and the State of Florida, with additional support provided by The Helmerich Trust.  Your Museums. Your Community. It takes an Island.