TSKW was honored to take over the prestigious literary tradition founded by the Heritage House Museum over 18 years ago, and continues a long tradition of the contest, which honors Robert Frost and encourages the creation of new poetry and haiku. TSKW will begin accepting contest entries by email and mail between January 1 and March 15, 2012.

PRIZES FOR EACH CATEGORY: (POETRY AND HAIKU)
1st Place    – A Two Week Residency at The Studios of Key West* + $200 Cash prize
2nd Place  – $100 Cash Prize
3rd Place   – $50 Cash Prize
2 Honorable Mentions awarded each category
Top three selected entries in each category will be published at www.tskw.org

*Residencies are non-transferable and will be scheduled with the winner to fall between May 2013 and August 2013. TSKW will contact first prize winners to schedule residency dates after April 1, 2012.

TO SUBMIT YOUR POEM OR HAIKU:
ONLINE:
1. If you are submitting your poem by email and would like to pay the entry fee online, please add one item to cart per poem or haiku (1 entry/$10).

2. Please email your poem(s)/haiku(s) to poetry@tskw.org. Please include the reference number of your receipt within the body of your email.

BY MAIL:
1. Please send two copies of each poem/haiku along with a check for $10 per poem/haiku to
The Studios of Key West
600 White Street
Key West, FL 33040

GUIDELINES:
1. Poems may be rhymed or unrhymed, metered or free verse, up to 40 lines.
2. Haiku submitted should meet the following definition: a short poem of no more than 17 syllables (preferably fewer), featuring simple language, clear images rather than abstractions, and emphasizing intuitive depth and resonance rather than open statement of ideas.
3. Two copies of each typed on 8 1/2 x 11 paper and sent by mail or emailed in an electronic format.

CONTEST EVENTS:
April 12-May 6, 2012 Robert Frost International Poetry Contest Exhibition at The Studios of Key West
Winning entries on view. Public Reception, Thursday, April 19, 6-9 pm.
Space 2, Historic Armory Building, Old Town, Key West

CONTEST TIMELINE:
January 1    TSKW begins accepting submissions by email or post.
March 15    Deadline to receive submissions
April 1    Winning entries announced at: www.tskw.org

NEW CONTEST FOR CHILDREN & TEENS

This year, TSKW will launch a new program to nurture and develop the interest of young poets by hosting two juried contests for children ages 6-12 and teens ages 13-18. Poetry can be any length, based on any subject, and be rhymed or unrhymed.  Merit awards, certificates, and prizes will be awarded, and participants with winning entries will be publicly recognized. Six awards (1st Place, 2nd Place, 3rd Place and three honorable mentions) will be selected from each age group. Each individual may enter up to 3 written works. There is no fee to enter.

TSKW will begin accept contest entries by email and mail between February 15 and March 15, 2012.

TO SUBMIT YOUR POEM ONLINE:

———–
Robert Frost International Poetry Contest
(Please designate age group)
c/o The Studios of Key West
600 White Street
Key West, FL 33040
___________
CONTEST EVENTS:

ADD readings & Writers’ Book Fair
April 12-May 6, 2012
Robert Frost International Poetry Contest Exhibition at The Studios of Key West
Winning entries on view. Public Reception, Thursday, April 19, 6-9 pm.
Space 2, Historic Armory Building, Old Town, Key West

CONTEST TIMELINE:

February 15   TSKW begins accepting submissions by email or post.

March 15        Deadline to receive submissions

April 1        Winning entries announced at: www.tskw.org

Exceptional Raffle Prizes Offered as Part of TSKW’s 5th Birthday Celebration

As part of The Studios of Key West’s 5th birthday celebration, the organization is offering a chance to win one of six gorgeous works of art created by some of the island’s most sought after artists. Raffle tickets are now on sale at TSKW, 600 White Street. The drawing will be held during TSKW’s 5th Birthday Bash on March 3, and winners need not be present to win.

“These raffle tickets are a great gift idea for yourself or for a friend, and help support The Studio of Key West — what’s not to like about that?” says Jay Scott, executive director.

The following works will be raffled off during the March 3 event, “Mermaid,” a five-foot steel sculpture by John Martini; “Historic Armory,” a beautifully rendered watercolor by Andy Thurber; and “Venice Series #1,” a striking mixed media work on canvas by Debra Yates.

In addition, three artists have created brand new hand-painted bicycles for the raffle including Rick Worth, Pam Hobbs, Sherry Sweet T.

“During our Rolling on the Rock event last year, people got such a thrill from seeing all of the painted bicycles, so we had three created special for this year’s birthday raffle,” continues Scott. “We’re excited to offer the chance to win these bicycles for the price of a raffle ticket, as many of last year’s bikes were valued and purchased outright for a buy-it-now price of $2500.”

Raffle tickets are one for $10 and 3 for $20. Ticket sales will support The Studios of Key West’s ongoing creative programs, and a portion of the proceeds will be shared with the contributing artists. Tickets can also be purchased at TSKW from now through March 3.

The public will also have a chance to view the work and purchase tickets during the Key West Art Center Craft Show (Jan 28-29) and during the Old Island Says Art Festival (Feb 25-26). Tickets will be available for purchase at both events at the TSKW booth, which can be found at the corner of Whitehead and Greene Street.

Above: The bicycles and artwork on display at the Craft fair

From left, work by Debra Yates, John Martini, and Andy Thurber

February News at The Studios of Key West

Path to Paradise: TSKW Members’ Winter Show – Announcing the 2012 People’s Choice Award Winners plus the theme for the 2013 Members’ Winter Show…

Story

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Michael Haykin, distinguished Artist in Residence has exhibition at Lucky Street Gallery through February 13. Reception with the Artist, February 2, 6-9 pm,
Story

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Painting Boot Camp Hats have arrived! Available for purchase for all past and present PBC students.
Story and Image

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Call to Writers for 2012 Writers’ Fair, April 19, 5-8 pm
Information

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Service Industry Raffle Winner Announced
Story

The Studios of Key West is pleased to present two special concerts on February 11 and 12 at the Historic Armory, 600 White Street. On Saturday, February 11 at 8 pm Noel Paul Stookey of the legendary Peter, Paul and Mary will be joined by songwriter Josh White Jr. for an intimate evening performance. On Sunday afternoon, February 12 at 2 pm both musicians will combine their talents with the Key West Voices of Praise Gospel Choir and the readings of Reverend Elizabeth Stookey in an encore performance of last year’s sold-out Multifaith Folk and Gospel Celebration. Tickets for both concerts are now on sale at www.keystix.com or at the TSKW program office, 305-296-0458.

“There is a special kind of magic that happens when Noel and Josh come together onstage,” says Jay Scott, executive director. “Last year’s Multifaith concert was such a success, so we wanted to give audiences two chances to see these fantastic musicians this year.”

The Saturday evening concert will feature both old favorites and new selections by Stookey and White.

“I’ve been on a whirlwind writing adventure these past 11 months or so,” admits Noel, returning to Key West for his third straight year. “Certainly the audiences here enjoy tunes from the Peter, Paul and Mary era but I’m particularly struck by the focus and attention they bring to my recent songs”.

Stookey’s new creations cover a wide range of topics; a bossa nova ballad, a rewrite of America the Beautiful, a jazzy, 5/4 exposition on the connection between terrorism and the illegal drug trade and more. “Peole seem to be rediscovering folk music’s capacity to inform, inspire and entertain,” he concludes.

The next afternoon, the Armory will be infused with all the spirit of the gospel when Stookey and White perform an encore of last year’s Multifaith Celebration on Sunday, February 12 at 2 pm. Joined by the Reverend Betty Stookey, Noel’s wife of 48 years, and Key West’s own Voices of Praise Choir, last year’s celebration has been called one of the most uplifting, incredible concerts ever to come to Key West.

Reverend Betty Stookey will “season” the musical celebration with readings from many of the world’s faiths, and with passages from the literature of many cultures. The performance shifts dynamically from the spoken word to the sung word and back again, and recognizes love as the common calling to many different faiths.

Noel Paul Stookey has 45 albums to his credit—28 with Peter, Paul and Mary and the remainder as a solo artist. His music continues the tradition of social change celebrated in folk music, while also expanding adventurously into jazz improvisation and romantic ballads.

Now in his 68th year as a professional singer, actor, guitarist, songwriter and educator, Josh White Jr. is still making records and offering audiences around the world his special brand of folk/blues, spirituals, jazz and songs of social conscience.

In August 2007, a group of singers was organized to participate in a youth program that was held at Trinity Wesleyan Methodist church. The singers so enjoyed the experience that they have continued singing together ever since. Members of the “Voices of Praise” choir are workers from various churches throughout the Key West community.

Tickets for Saturday evening’s performance are $45 in advance and $50 on the day of the show, and a portion of the proceeds benefit Florida Keys Council of the Arts. Tickets for the Sunday afternoon performance are $25 in advance/$30 on the day of the show.

The Studios of Key West is proud to announce the opening of the newest installation work by sculptor Lauren P. McAloon, “Song of Passage,” now on view in the Armory Sculpture Garden at 600 White Street. The public is invited to an opening reception during the December 15 Walk on White evening from 6-9 pm

Lauren McAloon is a TSKW studio artist and staff member who has called Key West home for the past 20 years. She is recognized widely for her site-informed / site-specific installations,  which incorporate a variety of materials and provoke many layers of interpretation in audiences.

“A bond develops when a viewer connects with my work; it’s a very personal thread of emotional trust.” says McAloon. “That a creative work can have continuance in another person’s life is very fortifying to me.”

“Song of Passage” continues McAloon’s exploration of cultural and personal transitions and immigration through naturally produced sound and sculptural elements. Made from sixteen foot bamboo Aeolian flutes, barbed wire, and translucent boats constructed from packing tape, the installation creates an immersive pathway through which visitors are encouraged to pass.

McAloon’s installations have received numerous awards including Sculpture Key West’s,  Bob Crane Grand Esplanade Award, Duke Rood Memorial Award and the Jim Racchi Earth and Sea Award. Her sculptures have been shown in many galleries and businesses here in Key West and can be found in homes and gardens throughout the US and Europe.

The evening will also serve as TSKW’s fourth annual pre-holiday Artisan Fair. Fourteen local artisans will be on hand to present a variety of one-of-a-kind, handmade items. Unique ceramic pieces, gorgeous cocktail hats, original jewelry, infused glassworks, custom stationary, and small paintings are just a few of the items which will be available for purchase by cash or check.

“Song of Passage” will remain on view in the Sculpture Garden through early January.

A membership to The Studios not only tells your loved ones that you care, but is a wonderful way to support your local arts organization.

Your gift recipient will receive a membership notification by mail (pictured above), and will immediately begin receiving benefits like discounts on workshop and classes and special invitations to events and receptions. Please note – orders must be received online or by phone by December 15 to ensure delivery by Christmas.

Purchase an individual membership for a friend.

Purchase a household membership for a friend.
(entitles all members of the recipient’s immediate household to benefits).

If you would like to purchase a membership for a friend in a larger denomination and would like to discuss the levels of membership, please call our Program Office at 305-296-0458.

Gift Certificates
TSKW also offers gift certificates in any denomination that can be used toward all of the workshops and classes on offer this season. TSKW offers acting classes, watercolor and writing workshops, and a variety of visual arts workshops for people looking to get inspired while having a great time. To order a gift certificate for a friend, please call the TSKW Program Office from 10 am-4 pm Monday-Friday.

As a way of saying thank you to the people who make our island run smoothly during the tourist season, TSKW is offering a raffle prize package worth $500 to one lucky service industry professional.

From now through January, waiters, taxi drivers, chefs, bartenders, innkeepers, and concierges are invited to enter a free raffle contest through TSKW.

The package contains gift certificates to some of the island’s finest restaurants including Seven Fish, Bad Boy Burrito, 915, Mangia Mangia, and many others.

To enter by email, simply send your name, email address, and your place of employment to info@tskw.org, or just stop by the Armory, 600 White Street, during normal business hours to fill out an entry form.

The winner will be selected at random on January 19 at 8:30 pm during Walk on White. The raffle is free to enter, and only one entry per person will be accepted.

Marrero Twists Christmas with ‘Happy Effin’ Holidays!’ at The Studios of Key West
Opening Reception for the New Exhibition, Thursday, November 17, from 6-9 pm

Forget the patter of reindeer paws this holiday season. Florida Keys photographer, Michael Marrero, tears open the shutters and throws up the sash with a twisted photo exhibit for a twisted season.

Drunken Santas, angry elves, and reindeer stew kick-off the holiday fare with more than 25 holiday scenes created by Marrero with well known Keys businesses that run the gamut from restaurants and brew pubs to publishers, locksmiths, beauty salons and dentists. The participants have been tight-lipped, but Marrero promises over-the-top holiday scenes featuring well-known residents indulging in outrageous holiday behavior.

“The scenes are the kind of Christmas cards you would expect from your crazy uncle – if he stopped drinking long enough to send a Christmas card.” Marrero explained.  “This isn’t a show for children. Adults who still believe in Santa or the sanctity of Christmas might want to stay at home too, but people who love the quirkiness of Key West will find this puts them right into the holiday spirit and keeps them laughing well into the new year.”

Marrero is known for his photo and video work throughout North America. His feature-length films have been shown in festivals around the world and he is a frequent contributor to shows at The Red Barn Theatre and Tropic Cinema. His most recent exhibit premiered at The Studios of Key West last November. Titled ‘ReMARCable’s’, it showcased the life dreams of Monroe’s disabled citizens and earned him the MARC House Volunteer of the Year Award, as well as being exhibited at the State Capital.

”As rewarding as last years show was I wanted to step into something more silly and fun for this years exhibit,” continues Marerro. ” To be honest, I don’t think I could have picked a project more polar opposite in terms of style and tone. The holiday images are meant to be campy, colorful, offensive and most importantly, fun.”

Happy Effin’ Holidays promises to deliver the impact of a strong Christmas nog. The 20”x30” metallic prints will be available for purchase opening night, as will the coveted Effin’ Holiday Card Set featuring all 25 scenes (and a few that were too risqué for public viewing).

The event unwraps November 17 from 6-9 at TSKW and continues through December 18. Admission is free. Stop by opening night for photos with Drunk Santa, cash bar, a miscreant elf and an unforgettable holiday experience with friends that could only happen in Key West.

This exhibition is sponsored by Santiago’s Bodega.

“Path to Paradise,” the Second Annual TSKW Members’ Winter Show, is an open invitation to all TSKW current and new members to exhibit theme related works from representational renderings to conceptual installations in any medium or discipline. This show, recognizing the Flagler Centennial Celebration, will open on Walk on White, January 19 from 6-9 p.m. and will be on view in the Main Hall of the Historic Armory through January  31, 2012. The exhibition will pay homage to the the man, machine and era of the “Eighth Wonder of The World”- the 1912 completion of The Florida East Coast Railway, the Key West Extension, and the legend of the famous Standard Oil industrialist and visionary, Henry Morrison Flagler. Sponsored by ARCHEO Gallery.

Terms:
$20 participation fee
Artist maintains 80% of sales
Two-dimensional work is asked to be delivered wired (no sawtooth brackets) and ready to hang. A $5 charge will be added to work that is not wired.
Email an “Intent to Exhibit” to martha@tskw.org by December 31.
Deliver work to Program Office on Friday, January 13, 10 – 4 pm or Saturday, January 14, 1-3 pm.
Shipped work will be accepted with return postage.
Pick up of work: Tuesday, January 31 from 4-6 pm. Wednesday, February 1 from 9-11 am only.

Thursday, December 15, 6-9 pm

Local artists are invited to apply for a place at our annual pre-holiday Artisan Fair, to be held during the December 15 Walk on White.

For buyers and collectors, it’s a perfect pre-Christmas way to discover that hand-made, crafts traditions are alive and well in the Keys!

14 spaces will be available, $25 per space, submit a request to exhibit with website or examples of work by November 15. Selection of participants will be confirmed by November 18.

Open to emerging, as well as established artisans offering quality original work.  All styles, mediums and disciplines will be considered.  A great marketing opportunity on a busy KW social evening and 100% of sales benefit the artist. Booth space 8 ft x 6 ft deep, one 6 foot table provided.

Contact Martha Barnes, Director of Programs and Exhibitions at 305-296-0458 or martha@tskw.org.

To see full details and register online, click here.

At the beginning of October, internationally known hair and makeup artist Adam Maclay arrived in Key West, bringing with him fifteen boxes containing art supplies, design materials, fabric, makeup, and a wide assortment of found objects.

Maclay is TSKW’s first artist-in-residence of the new season, and in addition to plentiful supplies, he’s bringing fresh inspiration and plans for a remarkable headdress exhibition at TSKW, just in time for Fantasy Fest.

The public is invited to meet Maclay and learn about his work on Wednesday, October 12, from 6-8 pm at the Armory, 600 White Street. Maclay is the featured artist of TSKW’s new “On the Deck” series, a free monthly gathering which highlights the work and talents TSKW residency artists.

“I’ve been developing a collection of headdresses that are indicative of places, ideas, time periods and historical styles,” says Maclay. “While in Key West, I hope to create an exciting body of work, and to develop pieces that are new and interesting, and which are not bound to accepted societal aesthetics.”

Key West may be a world away from the glitz and glamour of his other projects – for instance, his recent stint as the principal makeup artist for the MTV Video Music Awards – but it offers plenty of inspiration to Maclay. He’ll create many of his unique headdresses by using the island’s flowers, plants, and sea shells and he’ll supplement the pieces with inorganic materials such as bullet casings, and records.

Though the headdresses are composed of such disparate elements, Maclay’s keen sense of composition and years of experience as an artist ensure that upon completion, each headdress is a fantastically bold and unique creation.

As the Director of Education at Senses NY on 5th Ave in Manhattan, Maclay’s talents are broad and far reaching. There he also acts as a Senior Stylist and Makeup Artist where he conducts photo shoots and monthly workshops.

Maclay is also a freelance artist where he works on many projects within the fashion, media and film industries. His work has been featured in many editorial spreads in both the United States and Europe. Adam has been seen on WE Network’s My Fair Wedding with David Tutera. For the last two years Adam has been working Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City where he has been involved with the It Gets Better Fashion Lounge, Haute Hippie Fall 09′ Fashion Show, and the Buckler Spring ’12 Fashion Show.

The public is invited to view Maclay’s collection from October 20 – November 14 at The Studios of Key West. A reception for “Mediums: Headdress Creations”  will be held on Thursday, October 20 from 6-9 pm during Walk on White. The evening will also serve as the TSKW Season Kick-Off Party and as a reception for “INstruct: Works by TSKW Instructors” in the Main Hall.

The public is invited to pick up a copy of the new TSKW catalog at the community celebration on Thursday, October 20 from 6-9 pm. Full details of the concerts, workshops, exhibitions, and classes will also be posted to tskw.org over the next few weeks.  Call 296-0458 for more information.

Photographs by celebrity photographer Andrew Werner. www.AndewWernerPhotography.com

Tickets for all concerts now available at www.keystix.com, 305-295-7676 and
TSKW Program Office: M-F 10-4 PM, 305-296-0458,
$20 in advance, $25 day of show Tables of 4 available at keystix.com: $100
Doors open at 7:15 pm. refreshments available.

To see a larger version click here

Tickets to any and all Old Town New Folk concerts are now available at www.keystix.com or by calling 295-7676.
The Old Town New Folk Concert series is made possible by Key West Margaritaville, Blue Heaven and WLRN.

See the full season (11 concerts) at a glance  here OTNF FULL SEASON
Our 5th anniversary season will bring back by popular demand many favorites from the start of the series. They will be joined by new additions to the Who’s Who roster of leading singer-songwriters and national recording artists who have helped to launch The Old Town New Folk into the premier music series of the Keys. Be part of each milestone moment- we guarantee a cushioned chair in our air conditioned and smoke-free hall for each ticket holder. The sound quality is amazing and every seat in the intimate 200 person house feels like a front row treat.

After numerous years supporting artists and artists’ program at the Writers Guild Foundation, Maine Alliance for Arts Education and the youth media organization Spy Hop Productions, I rejoiced when I learned that I was accepted into TSKW’s Artist Residency program which would allow me a concentrated amount of time to focus on my own creative pursuits (documentary filmmaking). While the residency does not officially begin until September 2011, I decided to arrive a month early to visit with family friends, reacquaint myself with the island and to scout out potential subjects for my film.

Over the last several weeks, I’ve been flooded with various memories dating back to the eighties and early nineties.  I spent many years as a teenager visiting my families home on Petronia Street and was also fortunate to work, my senior year of high school, as an intern with the editor and photojournalist of the Key West Citizen. During that month-long internship, I accidentally discovered the power of storytelling when I biked down a side street in Bahama Village.  It was there that I met an elderly couple that was kind enough to invite me into their home. While sitting for hours at their kitchen table, I listened to their captivating story. Fortunately, I had my camera thrown over my shoulder and was able to capture their portraits. On that particular day, I realized that my curiosity and desire to seek out the unknown led me to a story that may have not otherwise been told. It was the journey itself into an unfamiliar area, the bond that was created with those strangers, and transformative power of storytelling that altered my perceptions of community.

After my graduation from high school, I returned to Key West and spent a longer duration of time on the island. I worked at the Waterfront Market and on my off days, I found myself enchanted by a series of serendipitous moments and intertwining stories that appeared daily through the many characters that were either permanent residents or attracted as visitors from elsewhere. Over the years, I’ve reminisced about those characters and the creative spirit in Key West that fed my imagination as a young woman. Now as an adult, I am honored to return to a place that shaped my passion for language, photography, story, and the visual arts.

While working as the Development Director of the youth media organization Spy Hop Productions, I was amazed at the number of youth who became empowered through the creative process and motivated to make a personal change in their own lives. As a result, I began to take my own interest and passion for documentary filmmaking more seriously and make a career change.

My recent educational training with the non-profit, documentary organization Barefoot Workshops helped me to shape my craft and to better understand the special relationship that is developed between the storyteller and the listener. Additionally, it was through Barefoot’s two-week documentary workshop that I gained a deep appreciation for individuals in a community who open their lives to a visiting filmmaker. The knowledge I gained at the Maine Media Workshops forever changed my understanding of story development. Presently, I am still getting use to the idea that I am not here writing a grant for another artist to manifest their vision. Rather, TSKW has granted me the opportunity to explore my own vision and voice while documenting a local story.

While I have yet to determine the subject for my short documentary (to be created during the month-long residency at TSKW), the number of individuals who have made suggestions and shared their knowledge has revealed many avenues of exploration. Perhaps, the “story” will draw me in as it did so many years ago and when I least expect it!

Christy Strick, a writer from Charlottesville, Virginia, spent the month of May in residence at TSKW.
Read her thoughts on her experienced below.

Magic in the Mango Tree

I arrived for my residency at The Studios of Key West bone-tired from a day of delayed flights, missed connections, and a four hour shuttle ride.  It was 10:00pm by the time I finally lugged my suitcase and laptop up to the Armory, and I had this irrational fear circling in my head that the staff had given up on me and I might be spending the night on the street.

Then I walked into the Armory and the magic that is TSKW. A cabaret was in full swing, and the room was filled with people who were dancing in their seats and singing along. A volunteer saw me and grabbed me a drink and a chair, and just like that, I was part of the group. By the time the cabaret was over and I had settled in the Mango Tree House, I felt like I was at home.

I fell in love with Key West that night, and every day I became more enamored. I fell in love with the Mango Tree House and my deck up high in the fruit-laden branches of the mango tree. I fell in love with the Victorian architecture, and with the food and the sunsets and the beaches.

But mostly I fell in love with the people, the welcoming, non-judgmental, creative and varied people who call Key West home. The incredibly dedicated and enthusiastic staff of TSKW who work so hard to make the environment ripe for creativity. The people who show up for gallery openings and readings and fundraisers for the arts. The people who work hard all day and still have the energy to go salsa dancing half the night. The people who welcomed me into their community without reservation.

Something amazing happens in a place like TSKW, where your work as an artist is valued and nurtured. A creative force surrounds you, and you’re infused with the passion and the energy of all those wonderful artists who’ve been there before you. The first time I walked through the Armory alone, reading the walls and breathing in paint, I felt it, and I felt it every time I went into the space or sat in the Sculpture Garden or talked to a staff member or volunteer. For three weeks in May I was lucky enough to live in that magical circle.

In the time I was in residence, I was able to finish a hundred pages of my novel, more than I had gotten done in an entire year in the outside world. But my residency gave me so much more than those hundred pages. It gave me permission to take chances, to play in my work, and to have fun in a way that’s hard to do when you’re stealing two hours here and there to write. Writing became a joy again instead of a task. I allowed myself to take time to fill up the creative well, to spend long lazy afternoons in the shade of the mango tree reading or napping. (Even my dreams there were magical. During one nap my subconscious unraveled a knot I’d been struggling with in my plot, and after I woke I wrote for 5 hours straight.)

I was able to bring some of that home with me. Every time I start to think up excuses not to write, I ask myself why. After all, no one is forcing me to write. I do it because it’s what I love to do. TSKW gave me back the joy I had when I first started down this creative path. If I ever feel it slipping away again, then all I have to do is remember Key West and the magic that TSKW was for me.

Check out Christy’s thoughts on writing, wandering, and the writing life at her website, www.christystrick.com.

The Old Town New Folk series returns to The Studios of Key West on Wednesday, September 7 with a performance by Natalia Zukerman and Adrianne Gonzalez, two of the hottest young singer/songwriters on the scene today.  The 8 pm concert is part of the “Art is Song” tour, a music and art collaboration making its way to festivals all over the country. Tickets are now available for a special summer price of $20 advance/$25 day of show at keystix.com / 295-7676, or by calling or stopping by the Armory.

A professional guitar player and collaborator, Natalia regularly records and tours with well known and respected musicians – including Catie Curtis, Janis Ian, Willy Porter and Susan Werner. Her music touches soulful folk, adult pop, rootsy blues, ballads and a more urban Americana — all delivered with jazzy rhythmic overtones and Zukerman’s distinctive, blessedly unmannered vocals.

Adrianne grew up in Miami, lives in Los Angeles and has shared the stage with Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne. The two met four years ago at a music festival and had an immediate musical connection.

Over the years, Natalia and Adrianne have played numerous shows together, adding harmonies and guitar parts to each other’s songs. They have also co-written a few tunes. This project takes their collaboration even further, blurring the boundaries and intersections of two disciplines and opening up the many possibilities in the integration of visual art and music.

“We’re both painters and musicians, and we use a lot of the same sensibilities in both,” said Gonzalez. “We wanted to do something that would combine these expressions of art into one tour.”

“Art is Song” was born when the two decided to illustrate their songs through paintings. Their method is to start with a lyric or an image from one of their songs. Once the image is discussed, Adrianne or Natalia will start the piece. At some point, they switch and the other will finish the painting. The results are powerful visual representations of songs- the colorful emotion of song captured on canvas, wood and paper.

At each stop on the tour, Natalia and Adrianne set an exhibition of paintings they have created together. The two artists will then do a full performance of the songs the paintings are based on as well as other songs from their catalogs.

The New Yorker says… “Natalia’s voice could send an orchid in to bloom while her guitar playing can open a beer bottle with its teeth,” and her most recent album, “Gas Station Roses” has been called…”a revelation, a diverse collection of beautifully crafted songs…”

Doors open at 7 pm to view the exhibition and the concert begins at 8 pm. Tickets for the Septenber 7 concert are now available at the Armory, 600 White Street/ 296-0458, or online at keystix.com.

If you had a chance to take in TSKW’s recent Space 2 exhibition, who i am and what i know, you were able to get a glimpse of the lives of homeless youth traveling the country.   The exhibition of 17 framed photographs was taken by young men and women involved with Project Lighthouse, an outreach program which provides resources and support to homeless youth in Key West.

Though the exhibition is no longer on view, you can see several photos from the show, read about the wonderful project and learn more the facilitator, Lura Smedstad, and Project Lighthouse, in this Miami Herald article published in July 25, 2011.

Renovation Project Will Provide Live/Work Space For Visiting Artists

The Studios of Key West has just broken ground on the renovation of the Ashe Street Cottages, properties located just behind the Armory at 607 and 609 Ashe Street. Earlier this year, a capital campaign was completed to fund the project, and thanks to its success, TSKW will soon be able to offer month-long residencies to forty artists each year.

“The community has shown tremendous support and enthusiasm for TSKW’s next stage of development, with almost fifty individuals, families, and foundations stepping up to help us meet our goal,” said Jay Scott, executive director. “These cottages will give visiting artists the time and space to grow and to discover Key West, and their presence will greatly enhance quality and diversity of the workshops, exhibitions and events TSKW can give back to the community.”

Upon completion of the project, the Ashe Street Cottages will be transformed to include three suites with two attached working studios for visiting artists-in-residence, and a large covered back deck will provide a beautiful indoor/outdoor space for small gatherings. Thanks in part to a grant from the Tourist Development Council, the adjoining lot will be developed into a beautifully landscaped nature center filled with rotating sculpture installations by local and national artists.

“This spring, TSKW received nearly one hundred proposals from people who would like to be a part of our next season,” continues Scott. “It’s our hope that the residency program will attract some of the most exciting artists and thinkers from around the world, and help continue our island’s legacy of being a haven for creative people.”

The Ashe Street properties were originally gifted to TSKW by the Rodel Foundation in 2009. TSKW is working with Affiliated Design and Construction Managers to renovate the cottages, and hopes to complete the work by February 2012.

Two TSKW studio artists have been instrumental to the development of the properties, with Guillermo Orozco working as the project architect, and Debra Yates working as the spatial designer. Yates will be designing the exterior space of the cottages and reconfiguring the space surrounding the Armory to complete the campus.

The Studios of Key West is calling for sculpture garden proposals for the 2011-12 season. TSKW is looking for local and national artists who would like to showcase original artwork the unique garden environment adjacent to the historic Armory at 600 White Street.

Proposals must be postmarked by August 15, and should be mailed or dropped off at the Armory office.

Download the proposal form here

“The garden is a beautiful outdoor space that celebrates dynamic works of art,” said Jay Scott, executive director. “It is a pleasure to offer year-round sculpture installations to the thousands of people who visit TSKW each year.”

Over the past few years, the sculpture garden has hosted the work of nearly two dozen artists including Anja Marais, Lauren McAloon, Jackie Sanchez, Jim Racchi, Susan Rodgers, John Martini, Eliza Proctor, Maya Godlewska, and others.

Selected works will be installed for three month periods from October through December 2011, January through March 2012, April through June 2012 and July through September 2012. The garden has two distinct areas for exhibiting works, and the work of two artists or teams of artists will be selected for each three-month exhibition period.

Proposals may include work that is already realized. Site informed or site specific proposals are especially encouraged.

Proposals should be sent or delivered to the Armory office, c/o Jay Scott, executive director, and must be postmarked by August 15, 2011. There is no fee for submission. Proposals will be reviewed by the TSKW Sculpture Garden committee and accepted artists will be contacted by September 15 to arrange and finalize all exhibition details.

To see images of past sculpture garden exhibitions, click on the images below.

Seeking Artwork for 3rd Annual TSKW Members’ Summer Salon and Potluck

Non-juried Showcase of New Work – On View July 7 – 26

Reception: Thursday, July 21, 6-9 pm

The TSKW Member Summer Salon is open to all TSKW members working in any medium, and current non-members are invited to join TSKW and be included in this year’s show.   The reception for the exhibition will be a community gathering and potluck party held on July 21 from 6 to 9 pm during Walk on White.

Work will be received in the program office from 10am – 4 pm on Friday, July 1, or earlier by special arrangement.

Please click below to download an Exhibition and Loan agreement

Summer Salon 2011

Media Alert: The Studios of Key West Now Accepting Applications for One Available Artist Studio Space at 610 Studios

Click to print TSKW 2011 Studio Application

The Studios of Key West has opened their studio artist selection process once again, and is inviting artists and writers working in Monroe County to submit an application for artist work space from now until July 1, 2011. Currently, one studio space is available at TSKW’s 610 White Street location at a rent of $375 per month.  TSKW will also use the selection process to develop a wait list for any spaces that may become available at the Armory or at 610 White Street in the next 6 months. Those eligible writers and artists residing in the lower Florida Keys who would like to be considered should complete and return their application and supporting materials to the Armory, 600 White Street, by Friday, July 1 at 4 pm.

Applications are available now and can be picked up at the Armory or can be found online at www.tskw.org. Interviews with applicants will be completed between July 6 and July 15, 2011. Applicants will be notified of the selection results by July 22, 2011, and the selected artist will begin a one-year lease on August 1, 2011.

Time spent at The Studios of Key West is meant to foster creativity and community while furthering careers of professional artists; TSKW asks that only those who are committed to their craft, and to the TSKW mission, apply.

TSKW provides a collaborative and supportive environment for creative experience; they offer studio space, lectures, workshops, residencies, and partnership projects; they nurture the creation of work, build audiences, and support the advancement of established and emerging creative people in the Florida Keys.

For more information, please call The Studios of Key West at 296-0458.

The studio shown below is now available.

The Studios of Key West would like to thank the generous donors who have contributed to the Ashe Street Capital Campaign.  Thanks to a tremendous outpouring of community support, $776,000 has been raised in less than half a year, and the dream of expanding the TSKW Residency program is now a reality.

Beginning June 15, the properties behind the Armory at 607 and 609 Ashe Street will be renovated to accommodate TSKW’s expanding artist residency program.

The renovation will include the creation of three suites with two attached working studios for visiting artists-in-residence. A large covered back deck will provide a beautiful indoor/outdoor space for gatherings up to twenty people, and the adjoining lot will be transformed into a wonderful nature center filled with rotating sculpture installations.

Upon completion of the project in February 2012, TSKW will be able to host 40 artists each year for a month-long residency. The expanded residency program will allow TSKW to continue to offer world-class workshops, live performances and thrilling exhibitions for many, many years to come. It will also give the gift of Key West to visiting artists as they are given the gift of time and space to develop their work.

Special thanks to the project architect Guillermo Orozco, spacial designer Debra Yates, and General Contractors Affiliated Design and Construction Managers, LLC.

Look for images and updates on our progress over the next few months.

Thanks to all of the following people who contributed so generously.

Visionary – $100,000 and above
Claudia Miller
Marjorie and James Sanger
Peyton Evans
Rodel Foundation

Innovator – $50,000 and above
Monroe County Tourist Development Council
Sandra and Lee McMannis

Architect – $25,000 and above
Dogwood Foundation
Margo and Bob Alexander
Stanley and Judith Zabar

Designer – $10,000 and above
George Cooper and Judy Blume
Janet Hinkle

Artisan – $5000 and above
At Home In Key West
Bill Grose and Stephen Murphy
Bob Alfandre
Clark and Jean Shannon
Dana and Michael McClure
Dick and Norma Klein
Dotty Love Ballantyne
Jay and Carolyn Scott
Matthew Helmerich and Jeffrey Harwell
Roger Emmons and Kenn Edwards
Truman and Co. Real Estate Company

Craftsman – $2500 and above
Barbara and Evan Corns
Brian Donovan and Bill Kirkwood
Elaine Weitzen
Linda and Michael Mewshaw
Lynn and David Kaufelt
Marguerite Whitney
Rita Linder and Perry Arnold
Susan Henshaw Jones

Carpenter – $1000 and above
Anne and Ben Bergeron
Anne and Steve Sunkel
Betty Hettinger
Bonnie Piceu and Paul Dietz
Deborah and Sidney Goldman
Jay Levin and Greg Rowley
John Padget
Jules and Diane Eberhardt
Kerry and Diane Shelby
Mary and Richard Grusin
Mobil Foundation Match
Rosi and Jeff Ware
Rudy Molinet and Harry Hoehn
Robert and Louise Barfknecht
Tom and Kathy Cawley

Builder – Up to $999
James and Miriam Katsikis
Martha Barnes

Thanks to everyone who made the TSKW Fundraiser at the Bottlecap on May 13 such a success!  Thanks to your support, and to generous tipping and bidding, $2042 was raised for our organization.

Tyler Clay did a fantastic job of organizing the lively affair, and Small Chef at Large donated wonderful snacks that were enjoyed by all.

The dueling paintings were a huge success, with over two dozen talented artists adding their own creative signatures to each piece.

Here’s a few images taken at event by photographer Michael Blades.

The Studios of Key West welcomes its next artist-in-residence, Chappelle Letman, who will spend the month of June living and working at TSKW’s Mango Tree House. Coming from Cleveland, Ohio, Letman is a master sculptor who has been blind for nearly 20 years. The public is invited to a free informal question-and-answer session with Letman at The Studios of Key West on Monday, June 6 at 10:30 am at 600 White Street.

“I’ve never been to Key West, and I’m looking forward to learning about its people and history,” said Letman.  “I want to get to know the island, and be open to whatever it brings to my life and to the stone.”

Prior to losing his vision, Letman worked as a mason, a book illustrator and a painter.  Working in oils, he often depicted the natural scenes, cityscapes and people that surrounded him.  When glaucoma took his vision, he was forced to transition to a new reality of working as an artist who was visually challenged.

He learned to rely on his instincts, and believes his loss of sight has given him a true artistic vision. He uses his disability to connect with the energy of the earth, and the emotions of the people around him.

Letman believes it is important to work with the spirit of a stone as he carves it. While in residence, Letman will explore the carving of unworked stone that had belonged to beloved local artist Barbara Vogel, who passed away in 2009.

During his residency, Letman would like to reach out to those who knew Vogel.  He asks that anyone who would like to share their stories and memories of her contact him through The Studios of Key West.

People will also have a chance to work with Letman by enrolling in his TSKW workshop, The Third Eye, which begins on June 6.  The workshop, which includes an introductory full-day session followed by individually scheduled 2-hour sessions and ending with an early evening group class, is $125 for TSKW members and $150 for non-members. Calling this a discovery course, Mr Letman will utilize a piece of Vogel’s stone in a collaborative carving and learning station.

For more information about Letman’s workshop or the free artist talk on June 6 at 10:30 am, please contact The Studios of Key West at 305-296-0458.

The Studios of Key West offers Summer Programs for Kids

To help children and teenagers explore the artistic process and develop their creative potential, The Studios of Key West is offering two summer arts programs in July.  Registrations are now being taken for Painting Boot Camp for Kids with Rick Worth, and Teen Camp: Labyrinth and Mandala Magic with Kelley Quinn, TSKW artist-in-residence.  Enrollment is limited to 30 for each, and both are sure to fill quickly.

Four sessions of Rick Worth’s Painting Boot Camp for Kids will be offered on Wednesdays in July from 9:30-11:30 am at the Armory.  A popular artist and instructor, Worth will teach children aged 7-15 the fundamentals of painting.  The class is fun and perfect for beginners or those who already love art. In this disciplined, encouraging environment, children will learn the basics of color mixing by using a limited palette of latex enamel on 9 x 12 inch primed canvas.  Worth guides students from a blank canvas to a finished painting in just two hours, and offers helpful tips and hints along the way.

The cost is $25 per session, and students can sign up for individual or for all four sessions.  All supplies including paint, brushes, and paper are provided. Boot Camp for Kids is sponsored by Isle Style Salon and Boutique.

Kids aged 11-17 are invited to enroll for Teen Camp: Labyrinth & Mandala Magic, taught by Kelley Quinn, from July 11-15, 12-5 pm each day.  The class will culminate in a special community celebration and art show on Saturday, July 16 from 10 am-12 noon.

In this multi-day camp students will engage in an in-depth discovery of labyrinth legends.  Teens will learn about the mandala symbol, including the history and uses of labyrinths and mandalas throughout the ages, how they are designed and how they really work.  Mandalas are universal images that are widely used for healing and meditation, while labyrinths are experiencing a revival because of their simple holistic effects.

Students will create a personal mandala and will then take the design and expand it from an 8” by 8” drawing to a design large enough to walk on. Working collaboratively, the class will create a large scale public artwork from a mandala design.

Instructor Kelley Quinn has fifteen years of teaching experience and has worked with preschoolers through high school students on many community project.  Quinn works from the philosophy that a piece of art truly adds value to the community when it is manifested by multiple hands.

The cost of enrollment in Teen Camp is $200, and all supplies are included.  A few partial scholarships are available for students in need.  This program is sponsored by Antonia’s Restaurant.

Parents can call TSKW at 296-0458 or call or stop by the Armory, 600 White Street to enroll today.

Update 5/6/11 – Concert Sold Out

Media Alert: Denis Hyland Heats Up the Armory with the Final Cabaret of the Season at TSKW

Denis Hyland, renowned singer, actor and dancer, will heat up the Armory stage with a fantastic performance at The Studios of Key West on May 7 at 8 pm.  Denis Hyland: A Portrait in Song and Dance will bring Hyland together with some of the island’s most talented musicians including Chris Burchard on guitar, Skipper Kripitz on drums, Joe Dallas on bass, and Bill Goldner on saxophone. Tables for the show are sold out, but general seating is still available at $20 advance/$25 day of show. Tickets are available now at keystix.com or at TSKW, 600 White Street, 296-0458.

“I grew up in the seventies and started working in this business at a time when you knew that if you wanted to succeed — you had to be a triple threat,” says Hyland. “You had to know how to sing, dance and act to get consistent work.”

Hyland took this advice to heart and used his scholarship to the David Howard Dance Center in New York to learn classical ballet, while taking classes to develop his voice and theatrical technique.

But the vibrant culture and life of New York City had it’s own plans for Denis and soon he found himself going to late-night jazz jams with friends all over the city.

“We’d start out at the clubs that got going early —midnight or 1 pm— and by the time we left the last one it was five am.”  Hyland continues.  “I’d have to be up for a late morning ballet class at the dance center, but I didn’t care, I was falling in love with jazz.”

That love included a great respect for Ella Fitzgerald and the great interpretive musicians who could tell a story with their voices and bodies.

“The Great American Songbook isn’t about nostalgia,” says Hyland, “The songs have so many layers, just like Shakespeare, and they express the American experience, what’s happening now, today, what’s relevant to our culture.”

Hyland says great music takes work, and that it doesn’t just happen by pushing a button, so he’s worked closely with accompanist Chris Burchard to investigate and explore all the songs he’ll present.

Audiences will taken on an exciting song and dance journey led by Hyland, and will be charmed and dazzled by his masterful command of movement and gesture, and his innate ability to tell a story through music.

Tickets for the show are $25 advance/$30 day of show and are available now at keystix,com or at TSKW, 600 White Street, 296-0458.

Over the past few years, The Studios of Key West has given the gift of time and space to many artists by beginning to establish one of the premier residency programs in the country.  Now, thanks to the progress of the Ashe Street capital campaign and a generous gift of property by the Rodel Foundation, an expanded residency program is on the horizon!

The new residency cottages will be located at 607/609 Ashe Street, a property which consists of two homes and an adjoining 6500 square foot lot, located just a few feet away from the historic Armory building.
The goal for the Ashe Street capital campaign is to raise $650,000 needed for the renovation.  As of March 23, 2011, $510,500 has been raised. The goal is to complete the campaign by early summer so that the renovation of the homes can begin in June 2011 with a completion date of January 2012.

This year TSKW will host 22 artists in residence. Upon completion of this renovation project we will have the capacity to host approximately 40 artists in residence – each of whom will spend a month on the island – taking inspiration from and interacting with the Key West community.

607 Ashe Street will be renovated to include two resident artist suites, and a working artist studio will be attached to the first floor suite. 609 Ashe Street will be renovated to include one resident artist suite with an attached working studio.

The kitchen will be renovated for staging catered events and TSKW receptions. It will also be able to accommodate a small culinary arts program. A large covered back deck will provide a  indoor/outdoor program space. The lot will become a nature center with rotating sculpture installations.

This expansion will have a profound effect on the TSKW residency program.  We will have visiting artists who can greatly expand the diversity of our program, offering new perspectives, quality workshops, exciting exhibitions and stimulating artist talks.  We will also offer cooperative residencies with other arts organizations in Key West such as the Waterfront Playhouse, Tropic Cinema, and Sculpture Key West.  Filmmaker Helen Whitney’s month-long March residency is a great example of a cooperative residency that happened in partnership with Tropic Cinema. In exchange for her residency, TSKW and Tropic were able to host the national debut of her PBS documentary on Forgiveness at Tropic Cinema.

TSKW extends are gratitude to all the private donors who have contributed to the campaign and to the Tourism Development Council for their support of the nature center/garden. If you would like further information regarding the campaign please contact Jay Scott at 305 509-0090.

Armory Main Hall Exhibition April 11-May 6
Reception and Community Gathering: April 21, 6-9 pm
Sponsored by At Home in Key West

Carolyn Gorton Fuller’s Legacy Exhibition at TSKW Reflects a Life Well Lived

Carolyn Ann Gorton Fuller’s amazing legacy will be bottled up and brought to the The Studios of Key West, where an exhibition of her life and work will be on view from April 11 through May 6, 2011. The exhibition will be celebrated by the public at a community reception on Thursday, April 21 from 6-9 p.m., during the Walk on White night, in the Main Hall of the Historic Armory. Members of her family will be traveling to join Carolyn’s Key West friends in tribute. Everyone is invited to join in the evening dedicated in honor of this important Key West legend.

From 1968 to her passing on August 7, 2010, Carolyn, a.k.a. ‘The Bottle Wall Lady’, made Key West her permanent residency in the circa 1815 side-by-side weathered conch cottages at 905 and 907 Angela Street. Purchased in her own name with earnings from her lucrative portrait commissions, the property was sold to her in 1966 by Edward B. Knight, an up and coming real estate broker, for “cheap’. Her home, magical and mysterious to the outsider, with the view of The Key West Cemetery from her window, she noted at times is in “a very quiet neighborhood and the people across the street never bother anyone.”

“Carolyn Gorton Fuller: A Key West Legacy” will examine the various themes of her life:
‘Becoming Carolyn: daughter, sister, artist, traveler, teacher, wife, mother, friend’; ‘Painting One’s Likeness: 40 Years Painting Portraits’; ‘Creating a Personal Paradise: Key West Community & Culture’; ‘The Bottle Wall Lady: Myth and Meaning; Behind the Wall’: ‘Projects, Purpose and Privacy; and The Legend & Her Legacy’. Over 100 works and historical archives, spanning over 70 years of work in both painting and sculpture will be on view.

“TSKW was entrusted with both a great responsibility and remarkable gift to share with the community by Carolyn’s daughter Rebecca Ann Fuller,” says Martha Barnes, curator of the exhibition. “The project presented the honor, but also the challenge of exposing to the public a private person, unveiling the life and work of an amazing artist who wasn’t interested in her story being documented.”

Carolyn resisted film offers in her lifetime, claiming, ‘I’m not interested in a ‘be and do’, faked and frozen into a ‘show and tell’. “For that reason,” Barnes continues, “it was with trepidation, sensitivity, understanding and respect that The Studios of Key West accepted the request to present Carolyn’s life.”

Born on December 31, 1921 in Utica, New York, Carolyn was a woman with formal Southern upbringing — where horses sweat, men perspire, and ladies glow —  influenced by her Kentucky born and bred mother.  Carolyn was a woman well-heeled, world-traveled, and highly educated. The first half of her career produced hundreds of canvases: landscapes, street scenes, and primarily commissioned portraits painted from life, and she stood at her easel for 14 hours at a stretch with ten minute breaks on the hour.

Incredibly disciplined and dutiful, caught in a traditional life in society, she found happiness in the solitude of her secluded and humble home in Key West. It was here also, where she returned to her shared love and purpose — sculpture. “Painting and sculpture what could be so great!” exuded Carolyn. She reflected, “Yes, I cherish the things I have done and yes, I miss them. I look back over the years of doing paintings and I see high points sticking up like islands in a sea.”

In college, Carolyn delved into the study of Ethics and formed what would be the core of her values, leading her down her unique path of self-sufficiency. She chose not to settle for compromise or conformity — the false exchange of comfort and security defined as happiness in ‘common society’. She securely stated, ”I never worried about money and I won’t start now. If I run out, I’ll go out for a real long swim – to Cuba.”

Her BA thesis for her fine arts degree from Syracuse University in 1944 was titled “The Art and History of the Major American Indian Tribes”. Fascinated and influenced by the the early Mayan people and their embellished architecture, she wrote, “they altered their buildings and added colonnades, walls or used smaller earlier structures as a foundation for later structures.” Carolyn was awarded the prestigious Augusta Hazard Fellowship presented to the most outstanding painting student graduate at Syracuse. It was this commendation which presented her with a year of study at the University of Mexico in Mexico City and a Solo Show at the Museo Del Prado.

The Bottle Wall, built as a beautiful and practical barrier from flood waters and unwanted wanderers into her garden in the early 70s, was torn down by Carolyn’s own hands in 1991. Tired of finding the perfect bottle to replace those stolen by passersby as souvenirs, and fortified by two very good Beefeater martinis (and the woman was very particular about the way hers were made), Carolyn vandalistically transitioned into a new period of expression.

The granite blocks which had formed the original base to the structure of the wall were delivered by a young man in 1971 who simply asked if he could help her and not, in her words, ‘take-take-take as most people do.’ The building blocks formed the foundation of a forty year friendship between Carolyn and Steve Roe, which continued and deepened through decades of letter writing. The treasured volume of correspondence was saved and shared with TSKW. This resource proved to be a critical scholarship tool to assist with this exhibition.

The current ruins at the corner of Angela and Margaret Streets are the reminders of the wall’s swan song when it was reinvented — from July 4 to December 26, 1993— as Carolyn noted, as ‘Ripples and Reflections’. Made from bits of marble and mirrors — ‘Oreo-size ones‘ — recycled from holes punched through bathroom mirrors for fixtures — delicate arches, resembling mangrove roots and water, were sculpted as a final ill-fated attempt to assist cars from colliding into her corner. Her art and ingenuity helped to have people slow down and observe the world around them.

Wrongly seen by strangers as a lonely recluse, Carolyn was loved and befriended by many, and she adored and appreciated her longtime friends, as well as meeting new ones introduced through bridge games, dinner parties, a Bible study group at The Stone Church, and Pepe’s. For years she drove her Dodge Omni around the island, a car adorned with autumn leaves that were colorfully painted by her friend, local artist Rick Worth. Carolyn attracted attention with walls, a painted artcar, and wearing colorful muu muus while standing 5 foot 10 inches tall in bare feet- in spite of insisting to everyone to ‘leave her ALONE’.

She felt TV was an adventure without risk and refused to own one. She believed we need to teach children ‘you can’t do extraordinary things and be like everyone else’.
Later in life, she designed and published a coloring book for children of all ages titled,

“Carolyn Gorton Fuller’s Key West Portfolio”,

containing her original drawings of 26 Key West subjects with local plants, birds, and color descriptions. The cherished book was carried and sold up and down the Keys, and Carolyn would mail anyone a copy for $15 ($12 plus tax and postage.)

Carolyn’s humor and activism for the protection of her adopted island was read and witnessed through her quips and gripes in her weekly column for the “Key West The Newspaper” (a.k.a. The Blue Paper). She began to have her writings published only after observing the life and culture of her surroundings for thirty five years at the age of almost 80 – suffice it to say she uncorked her bottle and let it pour.

Local acclaimed filmmaker Mike Marrero volunteered his time to capture stories shared by friends and family members and revealing a perspective from her private world behind the wall. The 15 minute short, edited and produced by artist Marky Pierson, will be screened in the Main Hall of the Historic Armory during the reception for the exhibition.T he film by Mike is 15 minutes and the DVD will be available to purchase at the reception for $12.

A 15 minute short film highlighting the life and legacy of Carolyn Gorton Fuller, featuring interviews of family members and friends, will be screened at the reception. The film component to the exhibition was commissioned by Carolyn’s daughter Rebecca Fuller, and the project was managed and developed by Martha Barnes, the Exhibition Curator. Acclaimed local filmmaker Mike Marrero generously donated much of his time and his services to record this important piece of Key West history. Producer Marky Pierson was instrumental in editing the film footage and completing the artistic design of the film. DVD copies will be available for purchase for $12 plus tax.

To see the Carolyn Gorton Fuller chronology and special exhibition thanks, please visit www.tskw.org/exhibitions/carolyn-gorton-fuller

We’re proud of the achievements of our Artist-in-Residence alums, and want to pass on the good news!

Liz Murphy Thomas (AIR April 2011), Vivian Pratt (AIR Dec 2010), and Brad Erickson (AIR October 2010) recently wrote to us to let us know that creative projects they began while in Key West have yielded some very exciting news!

Liz says….

My time in Key West at TSKW was so rewarding. I was welcomed into the Key West art community immediately and I really enjoyed my experiences at the studio including the positive response to my artist talk, the spirited group who signed up for my workshop and the wonderful reception of my photographs at Walk on White. I also had an opportunity to be very productive while I was there. As a photographer who works with issues of tourism, Key West was rife with subjects to photograph. I shot just under 3,000 images while I was there!
Probably the most exciting thing about my time there however is that my photo series, The Land of Sunshine, has been accepted for publication with Stella Luca Press. Stella Luca Press, located in Key West and Jackson, NH, is a new literary publishing company founded by Maureen Tracy Venti that specializes in Art Books and Poetography, the visual art of combining images with poetic lines. This project will keep me busy for the next few months but luckily that means I will be returning to Key West this summer!
I am so grateful to all of the wonderful people I have met at TSKW and Key West. I feel as though I really achieved something meaningful in my time there. It was such a pleasure to work with such enthusiastic and friendly people and I even left with some news ideas for artwork down the road. Who knows, maybe someday I can return to try them out!

Vivian says…

My exhibit at a Gallery in Boston opens tomorrow and I had to email all of you to thank you – you all made this show happen!   Here’s my story.

When I was in Key West several people told me I should go to the cemetery.  When I was there I became obsessed with the play of the decaying flowers against the monuments and took about 180 pictures in one day. (That day was an incredible high!)  After taking them, I became concerned that I might be stepping on Michael Philip’s toes.  I had seen a couple of Michael’s photos in Maureen’s studio and knew he had done something similar.  When I got home and was thinking of using my images for a show, I contacted Michael and Maureen with my concerns and they gave me their blessings.

At my opening in Key West, Michel Appellis offered to work with me to experiment with hanging my work away from the wall and he taught me how to play with the lighting to get focused shadows behind the transparent works.

When I printed the cemetery images on transparent film and hung them several inches from the wall, they were transformed into something magical.  I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep that night!!

The announcement is below, but be sure to check out my web site www.vivianpratt.com .  These images are under Gallery / 2D / 2011.  I wish you could see the actual show, the photos don’t do it justice.

Brad says….

“Hey TSKW!  Just wanted to let you all know that Milagro will have its first public staged reading TONIGHT (March25)  at the Throckmorton Theater in Marin County, just north of SF.  Thanks again to TSKW and each of you for all your support!”

About the play:  A Midsummer Nights’ Dream meets The Night of the Iguana!  Three America couples — one straight, one lesbian, one gay — in a rustic resort of Mexico’s Pacific coast.  A paradisiacal setting where milagros — miracles — happen.  Get ready for a miraculous, romantic, comic ride!

Event: Forgiveness Part I Screening at Tropic Cinema
Friday, March 18
5-6pm Reception
6-9 pm Screening

Tickets are $25, include a champagne and hors d’oeuvre reception

now on sale at tropiccinema.com

____________

Article Published in Solares Hill, Sunday, March 13

By Shirrel Rhoades

When Helen Whitney came down to Key West to visit her friend Margarite Whitney (not a relative), she had no idea she’d wind up showing a series of her documentary films here. One morning she was on her way to get coffee at 5 Brothers when out of curiosity she stopped off at The Studios of Key West. That conversation led to a stint as a filmmaker in residence at TSKW.

Whitney’s latest documentary — showing in two parts on March 18 and 20 at the Tropic Cinema — is titled “Forgiveness: A Time to Love and a Time to Hate.”  Other documentaries by Helen Whitney will be shown the following week.

Why make a film about forgiveness? “I was asked to do it by a stranger,” Whitney tells the story. A wealthy investor named Paul Dietrich approached her after seeing her work. “It’s a subject that has pre- occupied him for decades,” she says. “Paul is a spiritual seeker with an emotionally rich, layered life.”

But she wasn’t sure she wanted to do it. “The subject comes with an aura of sentimentality, New Age piety, this big rosy Valentine. I was yearning for something small and narrowly focused. The sub- ject of forgiveness is one of vastness. There are no boundaries.”

Yet it was “hard to turn down a fully funded film,” she admits.

“The decision to do it didn’t come like Saul on the road to Damascus. Before making up my mind I spent about three months talking to people about the subject. Strangers, acquaintances. People would come up to me at cocktail parties and say, ‘I have this friend …’ Often they were talking about themselves.”

Finally she gave in.

“Forgiveness is elusive,” says the film’s prologue. True to its statement, this documentary doesn’t offer any Cliff’s Notes short answers. Instead, it shares many instances that involve the act of forgiveness, allowing you to come to your own conclusions.

“While it was once a uniquely religious word, forgiveness now is changing,” we’re told. “And there is no consensus about what it is and what it’s becoming.”

“It’s a complicated subject,” says Whitney. “Jews and Christians have very different ideas about what forgiveness is.” Even so, the people profiled in her two films seem to agree that the act of forgiving is a “profound transaction.” The need for atonement is described as “an ache in the human heart that has endured.”

To explore the subject, Helen Whitney’s cameras take us from the killing fields of Rwanda to a court- room in Oregon.

We sit in the court- room with an impassive serial killer who shows no remorse … until one of his victims’ relatives forgives him. We visit a hospice where an elderly man named Merle Long refuses to die until he finds God’s forgiveness for killing an unarmed German soldier during World War II. “A spiritual ache, not to go into the night unreconciled,” Whitney describes it.

Forgiveness can be powerful and it can be dangerous. We encounter violence when a South African security official seeks forgiveness from a black family for his crimes of apartheid. We hear Don Robeson who has lost 30 years to gnawing anger over being fired from a hospital position. “I can forgive, but I can’t forget,” he says.

Atonement is existential. You’ll meet Katherine Power, the police-killer who when being considered for parole offers to remain in prison in hopes his family will accept her remorse as genuine.

You’ll meet characters with an undercurrent of doubt, “straight off the pages of a Graham Green novel.”

The documentary points out that Muslims pray five times a day asking for forgiveness. The Day of Atonement is an important Jewish holiday. Christ asked God to forgive those who crucified him. The Amish believe in unconditional forgiveness.

To better understand the Amish view, the film exam- ines the schoolhouse shoot- ing in Nickel Mines, Pa. A milk truck driver who lived in the community invaded a small school and shot a number of female students. Yet the five families who lost children extended their forgiveness to the killer, as did the entire Amish community, and invited his widow into their homes. “Their view of forgiveness is unconditional, a duty to God.”

Not everyone agrees. “Some acts are unforgivable,” says Terri Jentz, who was attacked by a young man with an ax while camping in Redmond, Ore.

Unable to get over this near-death experience, she returned years later to the town to find the man who attacked her. Even though the statute of limitations had expired, she located the “good-looking young cowboy” who had tried to mutilate her and a girlfriend and helped bring him to justice on a different criminal charge. “She was able to forgive the town, but not the man,” says Whitney.

The films also explore “intimate woundings of the soul.” When his wife moved away and left the children behind, a devastated husband says, “Forgiveness became a central question in my life.” The divorce affected each of them profoundly. We see it from both sides, how she’d found the responsibility overwhelming, suffered panic attacks, before going on to get her Ph.D. And how he felt abandoned and betrayed until he found “a path to forgiveness.”

The subject is even larger, with the second part examining the public apologies of nations like Poland and Japan and Germany for damages they had caused during World War II. The politics of apologies, acknowledgements, and forgiveness.

Why does Helen Whitney pursue these answers? “Forgiveness matters,” she says. “This is an era of forgiveness and apology.”

Whitney turned away from a life in academia to become a filmmaker. Setting aside her Masters degree in Victorian literature, she went on the road as a researcher for legendary television executive Fred Freed. He created among other shows, “The White Paper Series.” She took a job with NBC News, and that led to making documentaries. Her subjects have ranged from street gangs to life in a monastery to photographer Richard Avedon. “But I have always been attracted by spiritual films,” she confesses.

Helen Whitney will be on hand for a reception at 5 p.m. prior to the Friday showing of “Forgiveness: A Time to Love and a Time to Hate” at the Tropic Cinema. But don’t expect her to for- give you if you don’t come.

Hundreds of people came to The Studios of Key West on February 26 to celebrate the Key West Cruisers: Rolling on the Rock bicycle project.

Over 43 bicycles created by local artists were auctioned and raffled off during TSKW’s signature fundraiser of the year.

The crowds danced to music by Howard Livingston and the MM24 band, and were charmed by auctioneer Charlie Bailey-Gates.

While the tally for the funds raised is still being totaled, the evening was a smashing success, with all 43 bicycles going home with very happy bidders!

TSKW would like to thank all of the artists, sponsors, and bike purchasers who made the project, and the evening such a memorable event

Photo credits: Michael Marrero

Check out more photos at www.flickr.com

Cloud Key, 2011

Mark Rumsey was the February 2011 Artist-in-Residence at TSKW. During his residency Mark produced Cloud Key in the entryway of the Armory, the piece is constructed of folded vellum paper. Rumsey is a Michigan based installation artist working in prints, paper, cloth, space, and light. His has exhibited recently in Huntsville, TX; Portland, OR; Indianapolis, IN; Evanston, IL; Tulsa, OK; Chicago, IL; Seattle, WA; and Montreal, Quebec. Rumsey has been a featured artist on Artbistro.com and Artistaday.com. Rumsey has participated in residency programs in India, Turkey, and Belgium and will be in residence at Rondo Studios in Graz, Austria in 2011.

Cloud Key presents a matrix, a filter for light to play through and on, an opportunity to experience an environment, to study the relationship between light and form, between space and viewer. The viewer is required to be active, to participate with the space, to discover the continuously unfolding patterns and rhythms. Cloud Key presents an imagined micro view of the cloud structure, crystalline droplets being played upon by light, translated into a macro scale. The light plays with the natural opacity of the vellum paper from which the droplets are constructed, creating layers of visual relationships. The experience is a condensed and structured mimicry of natural phenomena, akin to watching the wind sweep across a field of wheat or laying on the ground staring up through a canopy of trees.

www.markrumsey.com

Photos courtesy Michael Blades

Purchase a Ticket

(Tickets can be picked up at the Armory prior to the performance on February 11,
or will be available on the day of the show an hour before the concert)

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On February 11 at 7 pm, the passion of Nuevo Tango and the soul of classical music will come alive at the Armory when Herbert Weissberg, former principal flutist with the Vienna symphony and Alexander Swete, world-renowned classical guitarist, join together for a special musical event. Tickets are now on sale for this unforgettable gala concert and reception that benefits The Studios of Key West.

“Audience members can expect to be charmed, dazzled and taken on an exquisite musical journey,”  says Elena Devers, deputy director.  “To have these accomplished musicians perform together in the intimate setting of the Armory is truly a rare treat.”

Though the event takes its name from Astor Piazzolla, the Argentine composer who revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style called Nuevo Tango, the evening will also include selections by four composers from different parts of the world.

The first part of the evening is dedicated to music from the 18th and 19th centuries and will include selections by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Mauro Guiliani.  Selections included in the second half of the evening were chosen to highlight the similarities of feeling and expression among three of the 20th century’s great composers including Béla Bartók, Maurice Ravel, and Astor Piazzolla.

“It’s an incredible honor to have Weissberg and Swete travel from Austria to present this specially chosen repertoire,” continued Devers, “These musicians bring a profound level of technical mastery, a phenomenal depth of feeling, and decades of experience to the stage.”

To complete the magical evening, all ticket holders are invited to an elegant champagne and dessert reception in a private Old Town home following the performance.

Herbert Weissberg studied the flute with Hans Reznicek at the Vienna Music Academy, where he was a conducting pupil of Hans Swarowsky and a piano pupil of Richard Hauser.  His career has involved him in work in chamber music, as a soloist and as a conductor, with concert tours in Europe, America and the Far East, recordings and broadcast performances.

Alexander Swete is Prizewinner at several international guitar competitions such as Havana, Cuba 1988 and ARD competition in Munich, Germany 1989.  In 1991 he was awarded the First Prize in the “Concours International de Guitare” in Paris.  Successful concert tours have led him to all parts of Europe as well to USA, and he has made numerous recordings for radio and television.

There are a limited number of tickets available for this extraordinary evening that benefits The Studios of Key West.  Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased at keystix.com or by calling or stopping by the Armory, 296-0458.

Purchase a ticket

(Tickets can be picked up at the Armory prior to the performance on February 11,
or will be available on the day of the show an hour before the concert)

Click below to hear Alexander Swete play La Muerte del Angel by Astor Piazzolla

Showcasing the Fabulous Florida Keys and the Island lifestyle of the “American Caribbean” the mission of KEY WEST TIME starring Howard Livingston is to entertain and introduce Key West & the Florida Keys to viewers.

Check out episode #7 below, where Howard comes to The Studios of Key West to interview Dick Moody and Fran Decker, two of the artists who created Rolling on the Rock bikes.  The segment also includes footage of all the bikes riding in this year’s Fantasy Fest parade.

The nationally broadcast television show is on R&R TV and Untamed Sports networks.  The show is also seen worldwide on the Internet and on demand 24/7 on www.KeyWestTime.com , www.RRTV.com and wwww.ConchTV.com

Produced by The Conch Republic Media Group, the episodes feature scenes from our emerald waters including fishing, diving, boating, treasure hunting, and much more.