Mark Hedden is a writer, photographer, and longtime Key West local whose career has spanned everything from eco-tourism and comedy to newspaper columns and birdwatching. A resident artist at The Studios of Key West since its founding in 2007, Mark originally joined as a writer but found himself drawn into the visual arts through the influence of the creative community around him. His photographic work has been widely exhibited, with major solo shows including Velo City, exploring Key West’s bike culture; Nocturnal, a series of nightscapes capturing the island’s vernacular architecture; and On the Hook, a portrait series of Key West’s liveaboard boaters. His projects have received support from the Knight Foundation, the Anne McKee Foundation, the South Florida Cultural Consortium, and the Florida Keys Council of the Arts.

Mark’s images and writing have appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, CNN, People, Roads & Kingdoms, and many local outlets. He is a regular contributor to the Key West Weekly, where his “Wild Things” column chronicles the islands’ birds and wildlife. His most recent work, South of Southernmost, captures the remote and storied Ballast Key, while an ongoing project, Florida P&L Statement, documents Florida’s abandoned roadside businesses. Mark has also taught photography and writing at The Studios of Key West and the NSU Art Museum, and he was recently featured in a joint exhibition at JAG Gallery with photographer Lynn Bentley Kemp. (And yes, he was once mysteriously described as a bullfighter on a podcast.)

Pam Hobbs is a painter known for her vibrant color palette and joyful depictions of island life. Originally from New Jersey, she earned her B.F.A. from the Kansas City Art Institute, where she studied fiber arts and surface design. After a vacation to Key West more than 40 years ago, Pam never looked back. Inspired by the island’s lush tropical beauty—its vivid flowers, sweeping skies, and crystalline water—she shifted from fiber to painting and began developing her bold, expressive style.

Pam’s work can be found in galleries across Florida, including Art on Duval (Key West), Art on Fifth Avenue (Naples), and Art on St. Armand’s Circle (Sarasota). She maintains a working studio on the third floor of The Studios of Key West at 533 Eaton Street, where she welcomes visitors by appointment. Pam’s goal is simple: to create work that reflects the freedom, boldness, and happiness of island living.

Tom Joris is a sculptor, painter, and longtime fixture in Key West’s creative community. A former professor at the Art Institute of Chicago, Tom has led lectures and sculpture demonstrations across the Chicago metropolitan area, with his teaching even featured on NBC. His work spans fine art and functional design, and his thoughtful approach to materials and form reflects decades of hands-on experience and a deep belief in the power of the handmade.

In 1992, Tom and his wife, painter Carrie Disrud, co-founded Kalypso Gallery—an energetic art space showcasing their own work alongside pieces by family members and artists from across North America. Now working alongside their son, Rennie, they continue their collaborative art practice both locally and online. Tom’s studio is nestled inside The Studios of Key West, where he continues to create and inspire in a space that, like him, balances tradition with creative freedom.

Scott King is a writer, producer, and actor with a sharp wit and a long-running career in television. He currently serves as the showrunner for Overcompensating, an original series on Prime Video. His writing and producing credits span comedy and satire, including standout work on Mad TV, The Neighbors, and Difficult People.

Now splitting his time between the screen and the island, Scott brings his creative energy to The Studios of Key West, where he’s developing new work and reconnecting with storytelling in all its forms. Whether writing for television or live performance, Scott’s work blends smart humor with human insight—always with a touch of the unexpected.

Michael Marrero is a Cuban-American artist, playwright, and filmmaker whose work blends visual storytelling, theatrical invention, and cultural commentary. His award-winning short films Buzzcut and Riley Was Here have screened at over 100 festivals worldwide, and his original plays—including Locura, Alligator Alley, and Repair—have been staged in Havana, New York, and Key West. In 2020, he received a Knight Foundation grant for Orisha: The Lost Saints, a photography project exploring Afro-Caribbean spirituality, later exhibited at the Havana Biennial. Whether behind the camera or on stage, Michael’s work is rooted in myth, memory, and the spirit of the subtropics.

In addition to film and theater, Michael’s photography has appeared in solo exhibitions and campaigns for clients ranging from Reuters and the Smithsonian to the Florida Keys Tourism Council. His recent projects include the play King Tide, the short film Party Time, and an ongoing exploration of tradition and identity through visual media. A longtime Key West resident, Michael maintains a studio at The Studios of Key West, where he continues to develop new work and collaborate across disciplines.

Lucy Paige is a Key West-based abstract painter whose playful, layered compositions are inspired by the island’s colors, textures, and rhythms. Using acrylic, oil stick, patterned collage, and pen, she captures the feeling of a day at the beach in blocks of color, patches of light, and meandering lines. Her distinctive mixed-media works celebrate the looseness and joy of island life, transforming everyday scenes into vibrant visual poems.

A resident studio artist at The Studios of Key West since 2017, Lucy has exhibited widely in solo and group shows throughout the island. Her work is also represented in public collections, including commissions for Bernstein Park and Seven Fish Restaurant. She is a two-time recipient of the Anne McKee Artist Grant and has participated in numerous workshops and residencies to further her exploration of abstraction. Lucy’s studio practice is deeply rooted in the local arts community, where she continues to create, exhibit, and mentor emerging artists.

Matthew Puppich is a painter whose abstract work explores the vibrant rhythms of island life—often featuring expressive interpretations of chickens, roosters, and the everyday sights that make Key West unique. With a bold use of color and playful composition, his paintings offer a whimsical yet thoughtful lens on the world around him. His debut solo exhibition, Life in Key West: An Abstract Perspective, was presented at Truman Art Space in 2021.

A graduate of the 39th class of the Key West Ambassadors Academy, Matthew is deeply connected to the local community and creative scene. He continues to grow his practice as a resident artist at The Studios of Key West, where he draws inspiration from the tropical landscape, the island’s character, and the spontaneous spirit of its people.

Jim Salem is an internationally recognized painter whose luminous landscapes reflect a lifelong connection to the natural world. Splitting his time between his native Pennsylvania and the Florida Keys—where he has lived since 1993—Jim draws inspiration from coastal light, lush vegetation, and the quiet beauty of wild spaces. He studied painting at Pennsylvania State University and the Slade School of Fine Art in London, and his work continues to evolve with a deep reverence for place and atmosphere.

Over the course of his career, Jim has been featured in more than 35 solo exhibitions and dozens of juried and invitational shows. His paintings are held in private and corporate collections around the world, including Disney, Hilton Hotels, and PPG, and he is represented by galleries across Florida, Indiana, Alabama, and Pennsylvania. In addition to his studio practice, Jim is a longtime supporter of the arts in Key West, having served on the boards of both the Key West Museum of Art & History and the Anne McKee Artists Fund.

Lance Taylor is a Key West-based singer-songwriter, performer, and audio engineer whose music blends folk, Americana, and country blues with a gritty, heartfelt edge. Since arriving in Key West in 2001, he’s gone from street performances to stages across the island, including long-standing gigs at Blue Heaven, The Green Parrot, Celtic Conch, and Dive Bar T-Shirt Club. From 2004 to 2010, Lance fronted his own band, performing original songs and building a devoted local following. By 2012, he had become a full-time musician, splitting his time between performing and producing for fellow artists.

Lance records and produces music out of his studio at The Studios of Key West, where he crafts original material and collaborates with a wide circle of musicians. His 2017 album Ghost on the Highway was born out of a cross-country road trip, and more recent singles—like “My Oh My” and “Man on Wire”—highlight his skills as a producer and multi-instrumentalist. Whether on stage or in the studio, Lance brings a raw, road-worn spirit to everything he creates.