December 30, 2024 – (KEY WEST, FL).  The Key West Art & Historical Society is reviving its popular juried art exhibition, “From a Woman’s Hand,” and invites Florida Keys women to apply before the January 3, 2025, deadline.  The exhibit in the Key West Museum of Art & History’s Bumpus Gallery will feature paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, prints, textiles, and ceramics created by female artists. 

Drawn entirely from the Florida Keys community, the exhibit illuminates the remarkable achievements of women artists who have been marginalized for centuries.  The exhibition aims to celebrate the Keys’ thriving arts community through the eyes of women.  Around 40 artists included in the exhibition come from all walks of life and varying levels of professionalism.  Arts community leaders Elena Devers, Martha Resk, Emma Starr, and Cori Convertito, Ph.D. will jury the exhibit.

The submission fee for artists is $25, which will offset the cost of the opening reception that takes place on February 7 and is open to the public.  Only one submission per artist, with a deadline of January 3; all mediums and themes will be considered but work must have been completed within the last three years and cannot have been displayed previously at the museum.  Artist notification is January 20 with delivery dates January 30 and 31.  The display runs through April 20.

Please visit kwahs.org/exhibits for important entry details and to submit your work.  For more information, contact Cori Convertito, Ph.D. at 305-295-6616 x507 or [email protected].
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Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

December 2, 2024 – (KEY WEST, FL).  Locals and visitors alike can delight in festive holiday spirit at Key West Art & Historical Society’s “Holiday Concert & Bazaar” on Friday, December 13 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., located on the sweeping porch and promenade of the Key West Museum of Art & History, 281 Front Street.  The immensely popular celebration will feature some of Key West’s finest artisans, musicians and choirs, food and libations, and a dazzling holiday projection show on the face of the building.

The opulent bazaar offers shoppers a trove of unique gift options to choose from, including handcrafted jewelry, textiles, artwork, home goods, confections, and holiday decor.  Food and drink vendors will be sprinkled around the property, adding to the festive spirit.  From 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Society members can also enjoy a VIP Member Lounge and a 30% discount and private shopping time in the Museum Store.

All shoppers and revelers can enjoy live holiday music and dancing on Sloppy Joe’s Foundation stage including the Bahama Village Music Program, and House of Pan Steel Pan Drums ensemble, the End of the World Ukulele Gang, local gospels choirs and the Southernmost Shimmies belly dancing troupe.

Adding to the festive cheer, the Society has resumed its popular Festival of Trees.  A series of holiday trees will line the museum’s porch decorated by students from Key West schools and sponsored by local businesses and individuals.  Holiday Bazaar spectators and shoppers will be able to “vote” for their favorite tree by making a small donation, proceeds of which will be split between the winning classroom and the Society’s education department.  The trees will ultimately be donated to families in need by way of the Key West Housing Authority before the holidays.

After dark and throughout the evening, “Conch 5 Studios” Key West High School Students will thrill attendees with a magical animated projection show on the face of the museum set to music, an annual crowd favorite.  The Annual Holiday Concert & Bazaar is sponsored in part by CoVal Systems, Sloppy Joe’s Foundation, Historic Tours of America, Pier B, Keys Open Door Foundation, Modus Wealth Management, and Strunk Ace Hardware.  Questions about the event should be directed to Bonnie McInnis, Events Coordinator, at [email protected] or 305-295-6616 ext. 505.
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Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

November 12, 2024 – (KEY WEST, FL).  On Tuesday, November 26, join award-winning screenwriter and Pushcart-nominated author L.L. Kirchner as she examines Florida’s homegrown mafia during her talk entitled, “Florida Hustlers, Blue Bloods, and Dreamers: The Rise of the Sunshine State Mafia.”  During her discussion, based on her recent best-selling book, “Florida Girls,” Kirchner will explore facets of the state’s unique criminal landscape.  The talk takes place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton Street, and tickets are required.
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While Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano, and Al Capone are often associated with organized crime in Florida, the state's homegrown mafia played an equally significant role in shaping its underworld.  Florida's unique criminal landscape even served as the starting point for Joseph Pistone's (aka Donnie Brasco) famous undercover investigation into the Bonanno crime family.  This talk will explore the distinctive historical forces and personalities that defined Florida's criminal underbelly.  Kirchner will shed light on how these elements intertwined to create a uniquely Floridian brand of organized crime, distinct from yet connected to the more widely known syndicates.

“Journalist and author L.L. Kirchner spent years delving into the lives of Florida's larger-than-life figures to write her “Queenpin Chronicles” trilogy,” says Cori Convertito, curator for the Society.  “Her research reveals a complex and fascinating tapestry of characters who molded the Sunshine State's identity, from savvy promotional gurus who built the tourism industry to ruthless gangsters who capitalized on Prohibition and seized control of bolita gambling.  Whether you're intrigued by true crime, passionate about Florida history, or simply curious about the state's shadowy past, this presentation promises to offer new insights.”

Kirchner is an award-winning screenwriter and author whose life and work as an expat in Asia became the basis of two memoirs. Drawing on her eclectic background as a religion editor, dating columnist, and bridal editor, her writing combines humor with her discerning eye, or, as an NPR interviewer said, her work was “like Eat, Pray, Love, but funny.”  Her work has also appeared in “The Washington Post,” “Salon,” and “The Rumpus” among numerous other outlets.

To reserve tickets for the lecture; visit kwahs.org/dss-mafia - $13 for KWAHS members, $17 for non-members.  Support for the lecture series is provided by 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 [email protected].

Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

November 4, 2024 – (KEY WEST, FL).  The Key West Art and Historical Society announces a $50,000 challenge grant from longtime supporter Dogwood Foundation to replace the inoperable elevator at the Key West Museum of Art and History at the Custom House.  Dogwood Foundation will match dollar for dollar up to $50,000 with a goal of raising $25,000 before the end of the calendar year.

The elevator was first installed in the mid-1990s during the initial restoration efforts of the building, which were overseen by architect Bert Bender.  As it reached the end of its lifespan and after months of failed repairs, the internal three-floor elevator ceased operation in March 2023.

“The challenge with simply modernizing and replacing the elevator is the dimensions of the existing shaft are too small for most commercial elevators,” says Michael F. Gieda, Executive Director for the Society.  “As a result, major modifications within the building are required to increase the size of the shaft to accommodate a new elevator.”

The total cost of construction, including a new elevator, is over $350,000.  The Society was fortunate enough to already secure a $175,695 Bricks and Mortar grant from the Monroe Tourist Development Council.  The organization’s goal is to raise the remaining $174,305 through the Dogwood Foundation challenge grant and other benefactors by Spring 2025 with the construction and installation of the new elevator completed by July 2025.

“The Society highest priority is ensuring the museum is fully ADA compliant and accessible.  Without an operating elevator, museums visitors with mobility issues are limited to the first floor of the building.  Additionally, the lack of an operating lift makes it difficult for staff to perform their duties, particularly in the installation of exhibitions and permanent collection handling.  Moreover, the Society was compelled to seek alternative venues for numerous programs as the third floor is inaccessible for program attendees,” says Gieda.

As a charitable organization, tax-deductible donations can be made via kwahs.org/donate-dogwood, check or stock transfer.  Contributions can also be made via the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys’ Custom House Preservation Fund.  For more information, contact Executive Director Michael F. Gieda, at 305-295-6616 x 501 or [email protected].
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Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

October 21, 2024 – (KEY WEST, FL).  Key West Art & Historical Society is reviving its popular juried art exhibition, “From a Woman’s Hand,” and invites Florida Keys women to apply.  The exhibit in the Key West Museum of Art & History’s Bumpus Gallery will feature paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, prints, textiles, and ceramics created by female artists.  There will be a special opening reception for the artists and the public on February 7, 2025, with the show running from that date through April 20.

Drawn entirely from the Florida Keys community, the exhibit illuminates the remarkable achievements of women artists who have been marginalized for centuries.  Gender bias is less obvious today, but contemporary women artists still face many barriers and disparities, as well as continual underrepresentation in museum collections and exhibitions worldwide.  Arts community leaders Elena Devers, Martha Resk, Emma Starr, and Cori Convertito, Ph.D. will jury the exhibit.

The submission fee for artists is $25, which will offset the cost of the opening reception.  Only one submission per artist, with a deadline of January 3; all mediums and themes will be considered but work must have been completed within the last three years and cannot have been displayed previously at the museum.  Artist notification is January 20 with delivery dates January 30 and 31.  Please note that Society policies strictly prohibit the sale of any artwork during the exhibit.
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Please visit kwahs.org/exhibits for important entry details and to submit your work.  For more information, contact Cori Convertito, Ph.D. at 305-295-6616 x507 or [email protected].

October 14, 2024 – (KEY WEST, FL).  The Key West Museum of Art & History is the venue for “Monkey in Paradise: A Norbert Szilagyi Retrospective,” an exhibition that will celebrate the longtime Key West artist.  A reception to mark the opening is scheduled to take place from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on November 1 at the Key West Museum of Art & History’s Bumpus Gallery.  The reception is free and open to the public.
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Since arriving in Key West in the late 1980s, Szilagyi’s art has held true to his own idea of what he calls ‘tropical primitivism’.  While crossing mediums from sculpture to high gloss house paint on wood, that very idea has taken different forms while staying unmistakably Norbert over the years.

Originally from Hungary, Szilagyi’s mother quietly slipped out of their village carrying the young boy and his sister until they reached an Austrian refugee camp.  Before long, they were crossing the Atlantic Ocean bound for a new life. Passionate about art from a young age, he received a degree in Art History with a minor in Studio Arts from Kent State University.

“Norbert’s color palette is high tuned, utilizing heavy outlines and a flattened picture plane that is characteristic of classic folk art but also a post-impressionist ideal,” says Dr. Cori Convertito, the exhibition’s curator.  “His decoratively hand-painted frames mark out his island scenes, striking the viewer with playfulness.  With a second look, however, viewers recognize his use of symbolism, love of art history, and intricate depictions of folk stories.”
This retrospective showcases his vacillating development and bridges his acclaimed metal sculptures and early paintings with his current body of work.  “Monkey in Paradise: A Norbert Szilagyi Retrospective” runs through January 26, 2025.  For more information, visit kwahs.org/norbert, call Cori Convertito at 305-295-6616 x 507 or [email protected].

September 23, 2024 – (KEY WEST, FL).  On Sunday, October 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., join the education staff of the Key West Art & Historical Society at its Fort East Martello Museum, located at 3501 South Roosevelt Boulevard, for a free family program that will explore one of the island’s Civil War-era forts and its exhibits which explore our rich and diverse history.  Dubbed “Family Museum Day,” the program is designed to correspond with the Society’s “Community Day,” a day offering free museum admission for Monroe County residents the first Sunday of each month.

While visiting the museum property, families are invited to take a self-guided tour of the fort and citadel, explore the outdoor sculpture garden, visit with the legendary Robert the Doll, and view works of art created by celebrated Keys folk artist, Stanley Papio.  In addition to free admission to the museum, children and adults are welcome to join Society education specialist, Kassandra Collett, and art educator, Jenni Franke in the air-conditioned Lee Garrison Classroom to create take-home art projects inspired by Florida’s flora and fauna.

“This month’s Family Day art activity takes inspiration from an exhibit on view at the Key West Museum of Art & History.  The exhibit, “Flora and Fauna: Early Naturalists in Florida” highlights some of the beautiful works of art created by Florida ecological artists.  Some of these artists, such as John James Audubon, made it all the way to Key West in search of rare bird species,” says Collett.  “Their expeditions, which frequently lasted for years, resulted in a collection of specimens and drawings that were later used to create vibrantly painted, often life-sized, images of plants and animals that the world had never seen before.  During our first session of the season, children will have a wide selection of mediums to choose from while creating art that's inspired by nature.”
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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/whats-on.  You can also contact Collett at 305-295-6616 x504 or [email protected]. 

August 26, 2024 – (KEY WEST, FL).  The Key West Museum of Art & History will celebrate the opening of its newest temporary exhibition, “The Antic Humor of Richard Watherwax” on Friday, September 13.  The exhibition was first imagined by Erika Biddle, co-curator of the installation and a close friend of the photographer, motivated by his 90th birthday later this year.  A reception to mark the opening is scheduled to take place from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. that evening in the Bryan Gallery, which is free and open to the public.

Watherwax spent years in New York City, first as a journalism and photography major in college who then settled into commercial and advertising photography, living what he described a “Mad Men” lifestyle.  High profile clients included Coca-Cola, Revlon, and AT&T.  In 1985, Watherwax relocated to Key West where he quickly took to the island’s free-spirited, artistic, and intellectual vibe.  Freed from the Manhattan ad agency lifestyle and its pressures, he cultivated a notably droll signature style.

“During the course of his Key West career, Richard photographed scores of “shakers, makers, and characters,” some depicted in character portraits, others, such as his “Saturday Night Baby Fights” classic, in over-the-top story-telling scenes or tableaux cooked up in his singularly quirky cinematographic imagination,” says Biddle.  “In the years before digital cameras made professional caliber photography accessible to the wider public, with his unmistakable personal style, Watherwax stood out as a luminary among a very few top tier Key West-based photographers.”

Watherwax is perhaps known best for his triptych “Fat Cat Capsizing” which has been reproduced worldwide in the form of prints, t-shirts, tote bags, towels, and coffee mugs.  Among his other accomplishments are authoring several books including “Cat Tales” (1978), “The Cat Who Drank Too Much” (1979) and “Tales of Old Key West” (1989), a farcical history of the island.  In true Watherwax whimsy, he entered his cat Willoughby in the 1989 Key West mayoral race where she received an impressive 37 votes!

The retrospective will feature a mixture of Watherwax’s Key West works including his witty cat series, amusing postcards, portraits of the island’s unique characters, his profound artist series, and his posed works that will tickle visitors as they gain a deeper understanding of the photographer’s satire and farcicality.

“The Antic Humor of Richard Watherwax” runs through November 24, 2024, in the Bryan Gallery and is sponsored by the Florida Keys Council of the Arts.  For more information, visit kwahs.org/watherwax, call Cori Convertito at 305-295-6616 x 507 or [email protected].
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Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

​August 26, 2024 – (KEY WEST, FL).  Food vendors, face and body painters, artisans of all imaginings, and non-profits are invited to register as a vendor at the upcoming ZombieLand, prior to the Zombie Bike Ride, taking place on Sunday, October 20, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Fort East Martello Museum, 3501 South Roosevelt Boulevard.

ZombieLand is a family friendly space occupying the Fort’s Parade Grounds that has lots of great shopping, kids’ zone including bounce houses, live entertainment, face and body painting, food, and a full bar.  One of the most popular Fantasy Fest events, over 7,000 riders participated in the ZombieLand pre-party and the annual bike ride.
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Those interested in registering as a vendor for the event should submit their application by October 15 to confirm their spot.  The application and additional information are found on the Society’s website at www.kwahs.org/zombie.    Questions about vendors or the event should be directed to Bonnie McInnis, Events Manager, at [email protected] or 305-295-6616 ext. 505.

July 29, 2024 – (KEY WEST, FL).  On Friday, August 30, join journalist and Jimmy Buffett biographer Ryan White as he presents on the legacy of the famed Trop Rock singer-songwriter as part of the Key West Art & Historical Society’s Distinguished Speaker Series.  His talk entitled, “Some Things Never Change (But Most Do): The Enduring Magic of Margaritaville” takes place from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton Street.  A book signing of his acclaimed biography “Jimmy Buffett: A Good Life All the Way” will immediately follow the presentation.

Billboard’s 14th biggest hit of 1977 was a happy-sounding sad song that arrived from a specific time in an extremely specific space.  Five decades later, “Margaritaville” is included in the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress and Jimmy Buffett is being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  But Buffett wasn’t always the pied piper of beaches, bars, and laid-back living.  Born on the Gulf Coast, the son of a son of a sailing ship captain, Buffett scuffed around New Orleans in the late sixties, flunked out of Nashville in 1971, and found refuge among the artists, dopers, shrimpers, and genuine characters who had collected at the end of the road in Key West.  And it was there, in those waning outlaw days at the last American exit, where Buffett found his voice and eventually brought to life the song that would launch a lifestyle.

“The Society is thrilled that Ryan has agreed to present on Key West’s favorite son, Jimmy Buffett, during the inaugural “Just a Few Friends” festival this Labor Day weekend,” says Dr. Cori Convertito, curator for the Society.  “His talk will emphasize the romanticism and optimism associated with “Margaritaville” and why the idea of swaying palm trees, fruity frozen drinks, and minimal responsibilities is more popular than ever.”

The presenter, Ryan White, was twice named one of the top writers in the country by the Society for Features Journalism.  He spent nearly 16 years at the “Oregonian” newspaper covering sports, music, and culture.  He’s appeared on the public radio show Live Wire, as both an essayist and an interviewer.  The author of “Jimmy Buffett: A Good Life All the Way” and “Springsteen: Album by Album,” he lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan and currently spends his days at the same Detroit ad agency that once employed Elmore Leonard.  That’s all they have in common.

To reserve tickets for the lecture, visit kwahs.org/dss-buffett - $12 for KWAHS members, $15 for non-members.  This program is sponsored in part by 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 [email protected].  Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.