As part of Key West’s bicentennial celebration this month, artists from the Florida Keys and beyond will join Reynerio Tamayo, Cuba’s preeminent baseball artist, in an exhibit celebrating America’s favorite pastime. “Play Ball!” is a multi-artist tribute to baseball on view from March 3-31, featuring a new body of work by Tamayo, as well as over 100 baseball bats transformed into works of art.
“On the eve of Key West’s 200th anniversary, it makes sense to celebrate two of the ingredients in our island’s secret sauce: our cultural roots in Cuba, and our love of baseball,” said Jed Dodds, executive director of The Studios. “We put out a call to artists to pick up a bat and to use their imagination and any materials they wanted to turn it into a unique artwork.”
The resulting collection runs the gamut, from brightly painted scenes to ornate sculptural objects. Some bats have been transformed entirely, one into a fully functional lamp and another into a didgeridoo that can be played. A handful have been carved or hollowed out and put back together, and a few others elevate the bat into a tribute to Conch culture and women’s baseball.
The centerpiece of the exhibit is a new body of paintings by Tamayo, an artist known for his good-natured but sharply drawn commentaries on pop culture, history and politics. “The Cuban people’s passion for the sport is connected to their identity,” Tamayo said, and his portrait of baseball’s Major League star Bronson Arroyo, who was born and raised in Key West, is a true celebration of a homegrown hero.
Also on view in March in The Studios’ Sanger Gallery is “Journey to the Great Round” by Marlene Koenig, whose meticulous and fantastical works are inspired by her close study of eastern spirituality and Jungian philosophy.
The Zabar Project Gallery will feature “Facades” by Pamela Kostmayer, whose latest abstract work consists of mixed media including encaustic, paper, wood, metal objects and oil stick.
All three exhibits will be on view from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at The Studios, 533 Eaton St. More information is at tskw.org.
Studio and home tours on March 12
Hop on a bike or carpool with friends to spend an art-filled afternoon exploring the homes and studios of Key West artists. Produced by The Studios of Key West, the annual Artist Studio Tours take participants on a self-guided journey through the secret lanes and hidden alleys of Old Town. On Saturday, March 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., The Studios provides an all-access pass to the creative studios of painters, musicians, sculptors and writers.
“The Studio Tours offer a unique opportunity to peek into the workspaces and gardens of Old Town, and to experience the island art community in a new way,” said Elena Devers, deputy director. “You’ll bump elbows with art aficionados, discover a new artist or fall in love with a painting, and perhaps find a unique art piece or souvenir.”
A highlight of the 2022 tour is Stop #2, the Dey Street Artist Studios. The former home of the late, legendary artist Suzie dePoo, the space is now a creative hive of activity for artists, writers and musicians. An integral piece of Key West’s artistic history, dePoo left her mark on the island with her imaginative glass sculptures and colorful textile designs. Her sprawling home and garden has changed very little since her passing, and has become a haven for local artists.
Other stops include the studio of John Martini and Carol Munder, which is as instantly recognizable as the bright blue former movie theater in Bahama Village; the studio and gardens of Eric Anfinson, whose stylized portraits and luminous scene studies are widely collected; and the outdoor studio of sculptor Sally Wernicoff. Also on the tour is The Studios’ Carriage Trade Guesthouse. Built in 1938, the classic conch-style building at 529 Eaton St. has a long and storied history as a gathering space, having served as a beauty salon, a guest house and a supper-club-style restaurant.
Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 day of, and can be pre-purchased at tskw.org or by phone at 305-296-0458. Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the tour at Stop #1: 813 Emma St., or Stop #5: 1616 Catherine St.
