Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan Appointed Inaugural Chair of Artist Residency Alumni Network at The Studios of Key West

August 20, 2024 / Press Release


photo by Mark Hedden

Key West, FL – August 20, 2024 – The Studios of Key West is proud to announce the appointment of Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan as the inaugural Chair of the PEAR (Peyton Evans Artist Residency) Alumni Network. Tan, a celebrated novelist, journalist, and educator, brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to storytelling to this newly established leadership role.

Tan holds the prestigious position of George R.R. Martin Chair in Storytelling at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. Her distinguished career includes roles as a staff writer at the Wall Street Journal, senior fashion writer at In Style magazine, and senior arts and entertainment writer at the Baltimore Sun.

She is internationally renowned for her literary contributions, including her novel Sarong Party Girls and memoir A Tiger In The Kitchen, both of which became international bestsellers. In fact, she wrote a few chapters of Sarong Party Girls when she was an artist in residence at The Studios of Key West in 2013 and credits the residency with some key breakthroughs she made on the novel. She is also the co-creator and co-editor of Anonymous Sex, and the editor of the acclaimed anthology Singapore Noir. Her work has received significant recognition, including multiple grants from the National Arts Council of Singapore.

As an artist who has been in residence at The Studios of Key West, Yaddo, and Hawthornden Castle, among others, Tan is deeply connected to the artist residency community. Her appointment as Chair of the PEAR Alumni Network underscores The Studios of Key West’s commitment to fostering a dynamic and supportive environment for artistic expression.

“I am honored to take on this role with The Studios and excited to help build a vibrant community of alumni artists that will support and inspire one another as we continue to create and tell our stories,” said Tan.

The PEAR Alumni Network is designed to create a supportive network for artists and writers who have participated in The Studios of Key West’s residency program, providing a platform for continued creative collaboration, mentorship, and professional growth.

The Studios of Key West Executive Director, Jed Dodds, expressed enthusiasm about Tan’s appointment, stating, “Cheryl’s extraordinary career and her passion for storytelling make her the perfect choice to lead our PEAR Alumni Network. She also possesses a true gift for connecting with people. We are thrilled to have her guide this important initiative.”

Since 2008, nearly 400 artists, writers, filmmakers and musicians have come to Key West through the PEAR Program, many returning and several relocating to the island permanently. Each has benefited from the island’s unique character, and left something of themselves behind. The PEAR Program celebrates the spirit of exploration with which it was founded, the artists it was established to serve, and the vision, wisdom and generosity of the woman for whom it’s named.

ROBERT FROST POETRY CONTEST FOR KIDS & TEENS

CEREMONY: SAT MAY 25, 1PM/POETRY CONTEST

In celebration of National Poetry Month in April, and Robert Frost (1874-1963), The Studios of Key West is delighted to host the Annual Kids and Teen Poetry Contest each year.

National Poetry Month is a worldwide celebration that highlights poetry’s vital place in our culture. The Florida Keys have a special connection with Robert Frost, who won four Pulitzer Prizes for his poetry, and wintered many years at the garden cottage of the Heritage House in Key West. Through funds established by the Jeane and Jessie Porter Fund at the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, the contest for children and teenagers was created in his honor, and nurtures and develops the interest of budding poets, and their vital connection to the Keys’ creative spirit.

Read the winning poems below! 

First Place
Mallory Browning, age 11

Second Place
Tristan F., age 10

Third Place
Ryleigh Cooke, age 11

Honorable Mentions
Oskar Davis, age 10
Sutton Lucey, age 10
Joyce Kiger, age 10

READ THE WINNING POEMS - KIDS

First Place
Dominik Galaz, age 14

Second Place
Antonio Gomez, age 17

Third Place
Sofia Dubon Espinoza, age 15

Honorable Mentions
Annalynne Dodd, age 13
Lizzie Portillo Alonso, age 13
Taylor Thomason, age 13

READ THE WINNING POEMS - TEENS

CONGRATULATIONS!

The Judges:

NEA Fellow, former Key West Poet Laureate and assemblage artist Flower Conroy’s first full-length manuscript, Snake Breaking Medusa Disorder was chosen by Chen Chen as the winner of the Stevens Manuscript Competition; her second collection, A Sentimental Hairpin was released from Tolsun Books.

Artist and writer Kalo Clarke has teamed up to judge poetry contests with Flower before (“Pepto Bismol bad poetry writing” contest for the best worst poem). Clarke is also known for her artworks in mixed media of unique subject matter, including bats, bees and other creatures.

supported by the Jeane and Jessie Porter Memorial Fund

Arts & Eats 2024

Fundraiser Parties

graphic with plate and checked tablecloth that says Arts & Eats

ARTS & EATS is a series of delicous fundraiser parties for The Studios of Key West. Each year, we present a new series of delectable parties combining food, art, and interesting locations in Key West —all supporting your creative community.

SEASON PREVIEW

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, January 22 at noon. Please note: Events sell out quickly!

PATRON PRE-SALES:

Patrons of The Studios (giving $1250+ annually) are granted exclusive pre-sale access to purchase tickets beginning Friday, January 19 at noon.

*Due to high demand, Patrons may purchase tickets to no more than 2 parties (2 tickets each) during the pre-sale period. 

Patrons will receive a special email with instructions on how to purchase pre-sale tickets. Stay tuned!

(Interested in joining or renewing as a Patron? Visit Become a Patron or call 305-296-0458)

THE EVENTS

A WRINKLE IN TIME: NEW REALIST MASTERS AT THE HISTORIC ALBURY HOUSE

 

 

    • Mon Feb 5, 6-8pm
    • Hosted by Vincent and Laura Barletta, Old Town
    • Key West cuisine – Heavy hors d’oeuvres
    • 60 guests / $200

Steeped in Key West history, the W.H. Albury House on Southard Street is among the island’s most significant homes. Hearkening back to an earlier time, it’s also the perfect setting for Vincent and Laura Barletta’s stunning collection of contemporary realist paintings. As the founders of the New Salem Museum and Academy of Fine Art, the couple share a belief in the essential role of beauty in all aspects of life.

DIAMONDS & DIRT: A TEXAS-SIZED HAPPY HOUR W/ RODNEY CROWELL

 

    • Mon Feb 12, 4-6pm
    • Hosted by Doug and Sherri Montgomery, Mid Town
    • Texas cuisine and Jerry Jeff Walker Sangria – heavy hors d’oeuvres
    • 60 guests / $175

With too many awards, accolades and #1 hits to count, Rodney Crowell is country music royalty: a star both on his own and as a songwriter, producer and performer with friends from Rosanne Cash and Emmylou Harris, to Johnny Cash and Guy Clark. Today he plays a rare backyard concert, with a guest appearance by musician and Smokin’ Tuna founder Scott Kirby. Host Doug Montgomery, with his wife Sherri, started the Summer Nights concert series in Stephensville, TX, and was a childhood friend of Jerry Jeff Walker.

POOLSIDE WITH PATTY: A TROPICAL CONCERT W/ PATTY LARKIN

 

musician patty larkin playing her guitar

    • Mon Mar 11, 6-8:30pm
    • Hosted by Kathleen Mahoney and Ozzie Ayscue, Old Town
    • Caribbean fare – heavy hors d’oeuvres
    • 45 guests / $175

A pioneer of “folk-urban pop” and founding member of the tongue-in-cheek super-group Four Bitchin’ Babes, Larkin has been capturing audiences and critical acclaim for over 35 years. Tonight she joins us by the pool at the lovely hidden-away home of Kathleen and Ozzie Ayscue, for an evening of songs, stories and delicious Caribbean hors d’oeuvres.

THE EVENTS

GEORGIA ON OUR MIND: MODERN NEW MEXICAN AND GEORGIA O’KEEFFE

 

artist georgia o'keefe in front of one of her paintings

 

    • Wed Mar 20, 6:30-8:30pm
    • Hosted by Andrea ‘Andie’ Pouliot and John Marion Jr., Old Town
    • Heavy hors d’oeuvres
    • 40 guests / $175

The love affair between Santa Fe, New Mexico and its most famous artist, Georgia O’Keeffe, was memorialized in 1997 with the founding of the Georgia O’Keeffe museum dedicated to her life and work. The museum’s director and curator, Cody Hartley, Ph.D. joins us at the invitation of Andrea Pouliot and John Marion, Jr. at their home to talk about the museum’s history, and how it has become a primary cultural landmark in Santa Fe in its short history. Cody will also talk about the museum’s future, with its additional major facility opening in 2026.

OLD TOWN POLITICS: DINNER AND CONVERSATION WITH JOE TRIPPI

 

patriotic cupcake, lemon, rockets

    • Mon Mar 25, 6:30-8:30pm
    • Hosted by Margo Alexander, Old Town
    • Chesapeake fare – buffet dinner
    • 35 guests / $250

Fill yourself on Maryland fare at the lovely Old Town home of Margo Alexander, then settle in for a deep dive on this rocky political year. Joe Trippi, the Democratic Strategist behind Jerry Brown, Doug Jones, and several Democratic Presidential campaigns and a Senior Advisor to the Lincoln Project, will update us on where we stand eight months ahead of the election and prepare us for what to expect ahead with his analysis of key Senate, House and the all-important Presidential race. It is a critically important election that could make or break our democracy.

TEN STEPS TO BLACK: A TASTING MENU BY JOHN BLACK

 

image of artist in front of windows

    • Tue Apr 2, 7-9:30
    • Hosted by Jackson Kaufelt, Old Town
    • 10 course tasting menu of small bites
    • 15 guests / $500

Artist John Black, whose striking abstract paintings are featured in the Sanger Gallery this month, spent twelve years working in top kitchens in Copenhagen, New York and Los Angeles, including working with the co-founder of Copenhagen’s Noma (named the “World’s Best Restaurant”). Tonight he offers a tasting menu of sustainable, local French-inspired Southern cuisine, and will present and discuss the inspiration behind each dish. Host Jackson Kaufelt hangs Black’s work alongside his own impressive collection, and each guest will receive a handmade print by the artist with the evening’s menu on the back.

Rodney Crowell

Old Town New Folk

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Arts & Eats 2023

ARTS & EATS is a series of delectable parties combining food, art, and interesting locations in Key West —all supporting your creative community.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, January 16 at noon. Please note: Events sell out quickly!

PATRON PRE-SALES:

Patrons of The Studios (giving $1250+ annually) are granted
exclusive pre-sale access to purchase tickets beginning
Friday, January 13 at noon.

*Due to high demand, Patrons may purchase tickets to no more than 2 parties (2 tickets each) during the pre-sale period. 

Patrons will receive a special email with instructions on how to purchase pre-sale tickets. Stay tuned!

(Interested in joining or renewing as a Patron? Visit Become a Patron or call 305-296-0458).

sign with words arts & eats

THE EVENTS

RED MEAT AND CHARDONNAY: HOW THE DEMOCRATS LOST THE WHITE WORKING CLASS

 

burger, white wine, fireworks

    • Thu Feb 9, 6-8pm
    • Hosted by Hon. Amy Bondurant and David Dunn, Old Town
    • Casual attire – political paraphernalia encouraged and buttons from either party welcome!
    • Wine, beer and barbecue
    • 35 Guests / $135

Joe Klein, political savant and author of “Primary Colors”, shares his thoughts on the state of the nation (or at least theDemocrats), served up with All-American barbecue in the elegant Casa Marina home of Ambassador Amy Bondurant and David Dunn.

 

SORRY SOLD OUT

WINE AND ROSES: AN EVENING WITH AMANDA MCBROOM

 

    • Wed Mar 8, 5-7pm
    • Hosted by Mike and Jessica Downer, Old Town
    • “Key West Formal” attire
    • Hors d’oeuvres and fine wines
    • 30 Guests / $150

Best known as the songwriter behind “The Rose”, Bette Midler’s runaway 1979 hit, Amanda McBroom is one of the most sought after voices of American cabaret and a bona fide star of stage and screen. She’s graciously agreed to extend her Key West stay to perform for a lucky few people at the home of Mike and Jessica Downer, owners of Key West Fine Wines on Eaton Street. Needless to say, the wine is sure to be sublime, and paired with scrumptious bites.

SORRY SOLD OUT

SONDHEIM ON THE SIDE

 

    • Thu Mar 23, 6-9pm
    • Hosted by Dawn Thornburgh, Chris Bassett and Carey Alexander, Old Town
    • Casual attire
    • Libations, hors d’oeuvres, small plates, and desserts
    • 35 Guests / $150

A salon soirée featuring lyrics and music by the man who redefined the American musical – Stephen Sondheim – orchestrated and performed by Stephen Kitsakos, Paula Cabot & Jeffrey Harwell. Indulge in hors d’oeuvres, small plates, and desserts, along with a full bar and fine wines. Dawn Thornburgh’s distinctly unique home and garden evoke memories of Old Key West.

SORRY SOLD OUT

THE EVENTS

FIRES AND FANTASY: A TOUR OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

 

watercolor of thailand

 

    • Tue Mar 28, 7-9pm
    • Hosted by Tony Falcone, Old Town
    • Silken threads encouraged
    • Thai buffet and libations
    • 40 Guests / $110

Tony Falcone – co-founder of Fast Buck Freddie’s and of Fantasy Fest, and winner of this year’s Golden Mango Award for contributions to the arts in Key West, has spent years traveling through Asia, designing and searching for unique items for his store. The result was an abiding love for Asia and its cultures – particularly Thai and Indonesian – and a home filled with personal treasures. With his customary flair for spectacle, Falcone serves up delectable Thai cuisine (prepared by Khun Phen Futterman of Thai Island), along with fire dancers, music and more.

SORRY SOLD OUT

SOUTHERNMOST LUAU: AN EVENING WITH JAKE SHIMABUKURO

 

Ukulele with palm trees

    • Monday, April 17, 6-8:30
    • Hosted by John Spottswood, Old Town
    • Hawaiian prints encouraged
    • Key West-style “luau”
    • 50 Guests / $125

jake shimabukuroJake Shimakuburo is a youthful ukulele legend, touring the world and crossing genres, from jazz, rock, blues and bluegrass, to folk and even classical. His hit album “Jake and Friends” has him recording with Jack Johnson, Jimmy Buffett, Ziggy Marley and many more. Tonight he kicks it back a notch, with an intimate house performance and a Key West-style “luau” inspired by Shimbukuro’s home state of Hawaii, and hosted by our favorite “man-about-town” John Spottswood.

SORRY SOLD OUT

QUEENS OF COLOR: MADDIE AHRENSFELD & MAGGIE RULEY

 

watercolor crown, easel and flower

    • Thu Apr 20, 4-6pm
    • Hosted by Tommy Quartararo and Kristen Onderdonk, “The Upstairs” at Antonia’s, Old Town
    • Colorful, whimsical attire
    • Passed hors d’oeuvres, charcuterie, wine and beer
    • 30 Guests / $85

two women and a dogMaddie Ahrensfeld first met Maggie Ruley as a budding artist and devoted student with her own set of abilities at Ruley’s gallery on Fleming Street. She’s since gone on to her own success, starting with trunk shows of her gift cards, paintings and clothing designs, and later opening Reciprocity Artisans Market in Cape Cod, where she represents 40 other local artisans. United by love of color and zest for life, the two friends display their work and give a brief talk that’s guaranteed to leave you feeling as inspired as they are. Hosted at “The Upstairs” at Antonia’s in their swanky newly-renovated second floor dining room, with passed hors d’oeuvres, charcuterie, wine and beer selections, and a whimsical signature cocktail. An event not to be missed!

Bronson Arroyo and Elan Trotman

Key West Bicentennial Concert

SAT MAR 12, 2022, 6PM/EVENT

$100 VIP / $35 General Admission / $20 Students

Limited capacity

Ticket proceeds support Old Island Restoration Foundation and The Studios of Key West.

Location: Oldest House Museum – Tom Majors Garden, 322 Duval Street

Key West Florida 200th anniversary sign in yellow and red with a conch shell and palm trees
Bronson Arroyo playing guitar looking sideways

REGISTRATION

VIP Seating Sold Out. 

If you’d like to attend, but just can’t afford it, we may be able to help. Learn more about The Studios’ Accessibility Fund here.

Key West Bicentennial Concert

Old Island Restoration Foundation and The Studios of Key West Present
Bronson Arroyo and Elan Trotman at The Oldest House Museum 

 

Born in Key West, Florida. Bronson played Major League Baseball from 2000-2014. His musical interest was nurtured by his grandmother Norma Dopp who taught music in Key West for 53 years. His debut album, Covering the Bases, includes covers from bands such as Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, and Foo Fighters.

Saxophonist Elan Trotman has quickly become one of jazz’s most thrilling and emotive performers.

Gallery and box office hours

Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm

Call us at 305-296-0458

Join our newsletter

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Unstuck as F*ck written by and starring Orlando Bishop

Directed by Anika Larsen

THU-SAT DEC 9, 10, 11, 2021, 8PM/EVENT

$70, $50 mbrs. (discounted price will display for members upon login)

Limited capacity

sponsored by Rent Key West Vacations

Helmerich Theater, 533 Eaton Street

PLEASE NOTE: you will be required to provide proof of a recent negative Covid test, or of full Covid vaccination, to attend this program, as it is indoors. Masks required. Click here for details on the Covid-19 precautions we’re taking.

Find out about our seating and weather policies.

REGISTRATION

REGISTER - DEC 9, 8PM
REGISTER - DEC 10, 8PM
REGISTER - DEC 11, 8PM

If you’d like to attend, but just can’t afford it, we may be able to help. Learn more about The Studios Accessibility Fund here.

CLICK THE DOTS FOR MORE INFO

Unstuck as F*ck
written by and starring Orlando Bishop
directed by Anika Larsen

Unstuck as F*ck, making its world premiere in Key West, is a truly unique event. Part TED talk, part stand-up routine, part heartbreaking drama. Over the course of 70 minutes, TV writer and actor Orlando tells the fascinating story of his life—from growing up in the concrete jungle of Flatbush, Brooklyn to his years in the ivory tower of Yale—to all the ups and downs that came after.

Irreverent, insightful, and inspirational.

Orlando’s story is enlightening, healing, and particularly timely in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement and the “We See You, White American Theater” initiative.

Orlando Bishop has called Los Angeles home since 1997 when he first crossed the country in a “three-wheeled car” to earn his MFA in Motion Picture Producing from USC Film School’s Peter Stark Producing Program. He’s served as a staff writer on 7th Heaven and The Secret Life Of The American Teenager and developed projects for companies ranging from Nickelodeon to Fox Searchlight. Throughout his time doing stand-up, performing storytelling, and developing his solo show, “ORLANDO BISHOP: Unstuck As F*ck,” a “good story, well told” has consistently been his aim. Even the strategy development system he highlights in his solo show is based on helping people to articulate their success story and then coaching them through the process of bringing it to life. In 2018, Orlando directed Dinner For Two for TV One, a script he’d written, interestingly, about a man who needs desperately to get “unstuck.” These days, whether he’s developing for stage or screen, whether writing comedy or drama, Orlando continues to draw on his youth in Flatbush, Brooklyn, his journey to and through “Hollywood,” and life with his wife of 23 years and their 16-year-old twins to tell stories that get audiences unstuck, giving them something to think about or just a much-needed laugh.

Anika Larsen has performed on Broadway in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Avenue Q, Xanadu, All Shook Up and Rent. Off-Broadway, she was in Zanna, Don’t!, Myths and Hymns, Closer Than Ever, Miracle Brothers, How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes, Disaster! and Unbroken Circle.  Anika wrote and performed in a musical called Shafrika, The White Girl about her childhood growing up in Cambridge, MA with nine brothers and sisters from different races and countries. She directed weekly live-streamed plays for teens throughout the spring of 2020 as part of the “Stars in the House” franchise.  Anika majored in theater at Yale University and she looks forward to returning to Broadway in 2021 in Almost Famous the Musical.

Gallery and box office hours

Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm

Call us at 305-296-0458

Join our newsletter

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Feature and short documentaries by Brad Abrahams, PEAR

WED DEC 1, 6PM/EVENT

$20, $15 mbrs. (discounted price will display for members upon login)

Limited capacity

Helmerich Theater, 533 Eaton Street

PLEASE NOTE: you will be required to provide proof of a recent negative Covid test, or of full Covid vaccination, to attend this program, as it is indoors. Masks required. Click here for details on the Covid-19 precautions we’re taking.

sponsored by La Rubia Key West 

color outdoor portrait of The Studios of Key West Artist in Residence filmmaker Brad Abrahams

REGISTRATION

REGISTER

If you’d like to attend, but just can’t afford it, we may be able to help. Learn more about our Scholarship Program here.

CLICK THE DOTS FOR MORE INFO

About the Screening

Peyton Evans Artist in Residence (PEAR) Abrahams shares a selected body of film work starting with a 67-minute feature and three short films, followed by a talk and discussion. An award-winning documentary filmmaker, commercial director, and lapsed South Floridian, Abrahams is no stranger to off-kilter characters, bizarre history or mysterious places—all of which make appearances in his films.

The main theme, explored in the shorts collection, is the ethics of profiling people and subcultures that are fringe and controversial. Abrahams posits that societal outsiders and extreme experiencers, regardless of the veracity of their claims, can be a window into the workings of consciousness, and a bridge to heal ideological divides.

About the Filmmaker

Brad Abrahams is a documentary filmmaker and commercial director from Toronto, Canada, now in Austin, TX. His all-consuming interests in radical science, cryptozoology, and general esoterica inspire his stories. Brad’s first feature, “Love and Saucers” won a special jury mention at Fantastic Fest ‘17, and landed a Hulu exclusive shortly after.  Though he has not yet had a supernatural experience, he is ready and willing.

Gallery and box office hours

Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm

Call us at 305-296-0458

Join our newsletter

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HOME AT THE END OF THE WORLD

conceptualized & curated by
RITA B TROXEL

ON VIEW NOV 4-24, 2021/EXHIBITION

Sanger Gallery

sponsored by The Gardens Hotel and Friends of Groovy Gray and Phil Clark

happy people on beach

VIEW THE EXHIBITION:

 

 • VISIT IN PERSON →
Our galleries are open Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm, and are free of charge.

 • JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP →
Access more info and images by joining the Home at the End of the World Facebook Group

 • PURCHASE THE BOOK →
You can purchase at Books & Books online or by visiting us. Open every day, 10am-6pm.

Key West in the 1960s to the 1980s was a special time, even by Key West standards. Rita Troxel captures the era’s freewheeling glow in a curated selection of stories and photographs from her book Home at the End of the World, told in the voices of the people who lived it.

special thanks to Lynne Bentley-Kemp

POSTCARDS FROM SHANGRI-LA

MAGGIE RULEY

ON VIEW NOV 4-24, 2021/EXHIBITION

Zabar Lobby Gallery

sponsored by Key West Local Luxe

Maggy Ruley art 2 women and leopard brightly colored portrait

VIEW THE EXHIBITION:

 

 • VISIT IN PERSON →
Our galleries are open Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm, and are free of charge.

• VIEW ONLINE →

One of our favorite painters takes us on a journey to an imaginary paradise on earth where exotic people and colorful creatures live side by side in sublime harmony.