Shannon Wiley

The only thing glowing brighter than Sonia Robinson’s personality are her wildly imaginative paintings. She creates whimsical and often spiritually-inspired compositions that are truly mesmerizing. Robinson slings her paint seemingly non-stop, mostly on wooden panels – and occasionally on canvas – using her signature, mixed-media approach, making her work...

Among the plethora of talents found in and surrounding the island of Key West emerges a new and refreshing style of painter and sculptor. Nancy Adams delivers whimsy and pure joy with her torch-tinted metal birds and acrylic paintings as illuminated as a Mallory Square sunset.  Adams was born along...

At watering holes from Key Largo to the mecca of tourism we know as Key West, we have some unique artists hard at work each day. These artists compose things a little differently, but they often influence our lives in very positive ways. They help us build fond memories,...

Jack Louden, a little known treasure here in the Florida Keys, brings to mind the term Renaissance man. He hails from both Darby, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware. His formal education is in choral studies but he is also a naturally gifted lyricist and performer. Louden earned his master’s degree...

Janice Nagel found herself, like many folks, picking up the pieces of her life in the post-Irma days. Yet among the scattered ruins, she came upon a small treasure: her grandmother’s art box, filled with tubes of half-dried paint and old art brushes. It prompted her to give painting...

The Florida Keys are embodied by water and, of course, color. We are surrounded by water and the places and personalities are unimaginably colorful, no matter which island you call home. Key West’s Ann Irvine has a seemingly endless collection of subjects she renders in watercolor. Irvine is completely...

Raku firing is a Japanese ceramics technique dating back centuries. This process, originally used to create a unique finish to wares, was first used to make vessels for serving tea and broth. It involves removing the clay object from the kiln at the height of the firing and causing...

In the heart of the Florida Keys, I recently discovered a hidden treasure. I was not out on Sombrero Beach with a metal detector, nor did I uncover it while snorkeling out on Looe Key reef. This treasure I found in the corridors of Stanley Switlik Elementary School. Christopher Willis...

In recent years, the world of photography has seen a bit of a renaissance. The age of camera phones and digital photography sprouted a significant uptick in images posted on countless platforms and apps. Few of us can say we do not like to share our photos – maybe...

Key West artist Pam Hobbs’ work is as colorful and fun as her bubbly personality. Imagine the most whimsical of poems by Shel Silverstein mixed into an illustrative world from the mind of Dr. Seuss himself. Now add a splash of the most vibrant colors and patterns you can...

It is often difficult to define what separates fine art from craft. People have argued for centuries that the act of creating is where our focus should be, and not on the result — an argument that lends itself at times to “process over product” when it comes to...

Being an art teacher is one of the most rewarding jobs any person can have, especially if you are an artist at heart. Marathon Middle High School art students enjoy the benefits of having a loving mentor and an accomplished artist, Kristi Ferrise, to connect with daily.  She said she...