Gallery on Greene’s latest exhibit, “Peter Vey: Laureate of Tropical Light,” celebrates one of the island’s best-known visual storytellers. Opening Feb. 14, the exhibit honors Vey’s decades-long mastery in capturing the joy, color and spirit of the tropics.
Pastel shutters on white wooden houses soften the dazzling afternoon glare of an island. Coconut palms draw the eye upward to the complex patterns and colors at their heart. And wind-swollen sails float above the ever-changing waters under squint-worthy skies.
Vey isn’t just a painter; he’s a traveler, an explorer, a tour guide and a host, taking viewers with him, offering the best views of every place he’s seen. And his paintings share secrets of the places he wants us to know: a spectacular shoreline, a boat in the harbor or a historic home on a hidden lane in Key West. He brings images of legendary Ballast Key, Conch houses, the clouds and waters of the Florida Straits and the exuberance of Key West and the Keys.
“There’s plenty of art that throws you into an introspective tailspin,” Vey has said. “I like to celebrate life. That’s important to me.”
Vey’s work transforms everyday island scenes into compositions that pulse with life. His bold brushwork and saturated palette evoke the rhythm of coastal light, the intimacy of sunlit streets.
Gallery on Greene director Nance Frank said Vey does more than paint the tropics.
“He translates its emotional frequency,” Frank said. “This exhibition is a tribute to his enduring legacy and the way his art continues to shape our sense of place.”
The exhibit will be on view through March 15 at Gallery on Greene, 606 Greene St. A public reception with the artist featuring new works will be held on Feb. 14.
More information is at galleryongreene.com.
