EXHIBITIONS

Baldridge focuses on using the power of art to bring awareness to the mounting threats of flooding and sea level rise with the goal of inspiring our community to unify in solving these issues. Large abstract seascape paintings that portray sea states from the perfect tranquil snorkel day to the powerful waves borne on a storm are displayed alongside sculptural figures covered with elevation maps reinforcing the immediacy of the crisis at hand.

Everyone’s favorite miniature parade returns! Artists compete for cash prizes and bragging rights with pint-sized floats to suit this year’s Fantasy Fest theme: Cult Classics and Cartoon Chaos! Past year’s fantastical entries are on view all month, and be sure to catch this years’ designs as they are auctioned off in everyone’s favorite pint-sized parade on Oct 22 in the Helmerich Theater.

Leifheit takes the story of Robert the Doll—that of an older man carrying around an effigy of his younger self dressed in a little sailor suit—and reinterprets it as a tongue-in-cheek queer story. Leifheit’s photographs meld history with autobiography and commentary on queer culture. The result offers a celebration of different relationships, and a new take on an old story.

Vogel’s fiber art serves as a reflection of and response to her natural world, finding deeper meaning in basic shapes through mindful slow stitching and beading. Each piece celebrates the beautifully unusual arrangements designed by nature.

Doughty’s series of alphabet self-portraits began with an “A” in 1999 and finished with a “Z” in 2017. The complete series shows an exploration of personal mythology, archetypes, and the differences between writing and visual imagery.

Each winter, The Studios presents a members’ show alongside the launch of our upcoming season catalog. About 100 artworks from our family of members are on display across all four gallery spaces, ranging from painting, to jewelry, sculpture, and everything in between. Serving as the perfect kickoff event for the coming season, the member’s show is a perpetual crowd favorite.

This past June, a group of watercolor enthusiasts met at the beach, just before sunset, with paints, brushes and open imaginations. Led by beloved Key West-New York artist Susan Sugar, the students learned new ways of observing the ephemeral shapes and transitory moods of the evening sky. A selection of student watercolors will be shown alongside one of Susan’s own in the Zabar Lobby Gallery.

Chiechi has produced a 200-page graphic novel exploring the pirate magic behind Mallory Square. From anchorage to attraction, this small Gulfside spot holds a strange draw which Chiechi explores through interviews and colorful sketches.

Audiences entering the Sanger Gallery in January will be greeted by an immersive environment designed by Wilson-Smith. Atmospheric nature sounds from the Boreal forest fill the space and clusters of smooth glass stones cover the floor. Visitors are invited to explore, touch and rearrange the rocks, creating a community environment, filled with collective energy.

Bennett’s series of intimate paintings illuminate the slower side of Key West, and the expansiveness of vistas beyond the island. Each work is observed from nature, but not plein air, allowing her memory of the scene to inform the painting.

The Shavers depicts the Black experience of Key West from their perspective—a family that has lived on the island for six generations. The exhibition includes the VMFA award-winning short, “Southernmost” alongside screen prints and photographs.

Jeff Ware’s own unpredictable journey brought him to woodworking four years ago. In the time that’s followed, he’s excelled at the craft producing numerous freeform sculptures from local and non-local woods.

Referencing his love for art history while playing with the contemporary, Alpizar creates stunning acrylic works on canvas in the world of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

“Mechanisms of Life” is Heverin’s ode to the amalgam of spiritual and technical ingenuity. He starts with a common object of beauty (a horse, a violin), bringing that object to life with polished brass, woodwork and vintage clock parts.

With almost a quarter century of “artists helping artists” behind them, the Anne McKee Auction returns to The Studios. Collectors and curious souls can preview works by local legends leading up to the March 12 live auction.

This exhibition is an exploration of how we alter, affect and influence the energy of the places we call home. Ross explores the notions of movement and migration through quilting.

Throughout the pandemic, Williams thought critically about all the expressions of love–romantic, familial, spiritual, platonic, self-love. The papercuts she created in this time depict love as a constant and defining element of the human experience.

Stevens invites audiences into the intricate and intimate working of her mind. 30 years worth of doodles explore her experiences with anxiety, depression, motherhood, marriage, and divorce. Funny or grief-stricken, each piece is real and raw.

Ansara creates works reminiscent of the popular psychedelic posters that adorned the walls of stoner basements in the 1970s, but with a modern, tropical twist. Works on paper feature indigenous plants and animals in a dayglo palette.

Bickis started his Key West tenure as a sign painter before briefly moving north. Called back by the unique lighting of the island, he began his second life here, exploring the push-pull of shadow and sunlight.