Got Gas? Another Ronny Bailey Tribute to the Way Life Used To Be

Local folk artist Ronny Bailey dropped by my office a few days ago to show me his latest piece of art which was located in the back of his pickup truck. How fitting. The piece is his recreation of an ESSO gas station located in Ablemarle, North Caroline. Ronny said this is the first piece he has done for a property not located in Key West. When he put the piece on the tailgate of his truck I was taken back to my childhood in a little suburb just west of Denver. There was a similar gas station a block from my house. That station had just two bays and it was named CARTER, then HUMBLE, and later ENCO.  I looked up ESSO in Wikipedia and learned all of these names were trade names used by Standard Oil which later became EXXON MOBIL. That's a lot of names and a lot of useless information, but back in the 1950s gas station's like this populated the United States from shore to shore and border to border with different names but all selling the same gas. The stations had attendants that put gas in the car and who checked the oil, water, and tire pressure when asked. They cleaned the windshield with each fill-up. It was a simpler time. There were no ISIS terrorists - just Commies.  

When you compare the actual station with Ronny's depiction you'll notice he eliminated two of the bays and reduced the number of piles of old tires. As you look at the photos you'll see Ronny gladly adds free iconic logos including Coca Cola, 7-UP, Firestone, Quaker State Oil, Merita Bread, and RED MAN CHEW. If you get up close you'll get to see the three watch words Ronny adds to each piece he creates: LOVE, PEACE, and JOY.  LOVE and JOY are located at the bottom of either gas machine. PEACE is located under the pin-up in the service bay.  Ronny added the word HOPE to the cop car license plate. As I neared the gas station to focus on the gas machines I noted the price on each machine was the same $5.22. When I got even closer to focus on the office interior I saw the cash register had just had a sale of $5.22 as well. That's a Biblical reference to another watchword in Ronny's life - PATIENCE. Ronny's got a bit of a bad-boy in him despite his piety. He added a pin-up in the service bay because all gas stations back then had them. Today that would be sexist. And today most gas stations charge for air which was "free" at this place and in an earlier time. 

That's Ronny's reflection in the service bay window. Watching over me. Making sure that I captured the essence of this new piece of art that he created using salvaged materials mostly from old Key West houses. CLICK HERE to view all photos I took.

CLICK HERE to see Ronny's Facebook page.

Key West had a similar gas station located at 425 Grinnell Street when the photo below was taken back in 1965. Today that building houses AZUR Restaurant - and you don't get gas from eating there. The place is great!

1010 - 1012 Olivia Street, Key West - The Beginning of the End

Local folk artist Ronny Bailey stopped by my office last week to show me (and my Dear Readers) his latest work a special commission of the two houses at 1010 and 1012 Olivia Street in Key West.  The owner of these houses wanted to capture the essence of these houses as they now exist because like much of old Key West, they are about to get renovated. I took a lot of photos of Ronny's art which you can see if you CLICK HERE.

If you look carefully you will seethe word "peace" printed on the wood floor in the photo above.  Ronny always includes the words love, peace, and joy in each piece he creates. He is a religious and loving person. This is how he sees life and how he relates to others. You meet this man and you immediately understand his ethos.

Ronny told me he salvaged wood from the actual houses to create these miniatures. The "metal" roofs are actually wood that he has painted to resemble metal. He carved the chickens on the front porch. Ronnie ripped a larger piece of wood to create the "plywood" floors on the front porches. The front door at 1012 Olivia Street has a screen door. Ronny had a piece of wire screen he had saved from another house from years before. He added a coat of paint to it to reduce the size of the screen to fit into the tiny door. It looked amazingly correct.Look closely at the second floor window on 1010 Olivia (three above). There you will see a hole in the window.  These are all little details that make up the story of old house like this. Ronny Bailey's art can be seen at local shows in Key West. He does prints of various pieces for folks that are not prepared to pay the cost of a major installation. No matter what you buy, you will always love it and cherish it for it shows the true beauty of our old homes.

CLICK HERE to see more photos of the two real houses. These will appear in at least one future blog as the renovation of these two iconic cottages take place.  Several years ago the owner of prior owner of the abutting property on Watson  Street told me that 1012 Olivia Street used to be a house of ill repute. He called it something else that's more descriptive.

I checked the historic Sanborn Fire Maps to see if I could determine when these houses were built. This area was entirely omitted in the earliest map which dates back to 1889. I did find both houses on the 1892 map but at that time they were identified as 922 and 924 Olivia Street. The addresses were respectfully changed to 1010 and 1012 Olivia in the 1889 map. The 1889 map showed a vacant lot next to 1012  Olivia. That vacant spot still exists. But the street does not show on that map. It wasn't until the 1912 map that Peerless Court (later named Watson Street) appeared on the map. In fact the street did not exist at all until that time. There were houses interspersed on the extra large block bounded by Frances on the east, Grinnell on the west, Olivia to the north, and Division Street (Truman Avenue) to the south.

I talked with Ronny about the coming renovation of these two old decrepit houses. I guess you can't blame an owner for wanting to fix up an old house and make it look nice - maybe even to sell it. The thing is if we keep fixing all the old houses there won't be any of the character left in our town except the derelicts that sit on Duval Street performing tricks or outright begging for money. This is the beginning of the end.

Buy a Piece of Old Key West

If you have been thinking about buying a small house in Key West but have decided you have been priced out of the market, you might consider buying a much smaller place like the one above built by  Ronny Bailey.  You can do so at the 30th Annual Arts and Crafts show this Friday and Saturday between 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Whitehead Street between Fleming and Caroline Streets. CLICK HERE for more information on the show.

Ronny Bailey dropped by my office last week to show this new piece which is one of three he will be showing the first time at this show. This piece is his recollection of the historic home that was actually located at 702 Thomas Street in the Bahama Village section of Key West. The original building no longer exists. Unfortunately, I could not find a photo of the old house.  I think Ronny told me it burned to the ground. (My history lesson on this building is totally deficient. The art makes up for my lack of attention to detail.)

Each piece was made by using pieces of wood removed from old homes in Key West. Ronny always includes three words on each piece he creates: love, joy, and peace. They are easy to see if you look in the right place.These are the watchwords that Ronny lives by. I don't think I have met a kinder man in Key West. He always has a big smile and kind tones when speaking with others. Love.Joy. Peace. Right!

The Small World of Ronny Bailey - New Exhibit at Key West Customs House

 Have you ever wondered what the history and architecture of Key West looks like through the eyes of a native?  Ronny Bailey, a 5th generation Conch, recreates local landmarks and houses from locally salvaged materials and adds whimsical details that help bring old Key West to life.

If you are in Key West of Friday, October 10th you are invited to the Opening reception at the Key West Customs House, 281 Front Street at 6:00 PM. The exhibit will run through February 4, 2015.

I have written about Ronny Bailey in several blogs. You gotta see his work up close and personal to take in all the detail.
The house below at 900 Frances Street was shrunk to fit on the counter in our real estate office. This was the very first time I saw any of Ronny Bailey's work. I was captivated. Ronny always models his works on recreating miniature versions of real buildings. He then adds a bit of whimsy that reflects his love of life and his love of Key West.

The next time I ran in to Ronny he brought me his then recently completed piece on 113 Petronia Street which is an old cigar maker cottage in the Bahama Village section of Key West. The piece included an old fashioned Maytag wringer washer (my mom had one when I was growing up - that shows you how old I am), a dog house on the front porch, and a rusted roof. Ronny told me he fashioned and painted wood pieces to create the illusion of rusted metal.

Ronny brought over his depiction of the Northwest Passage Lighthouse in the back of his truck. Look carefully you'll see sharks and other sea creatures in the water below. 

One of my favorite pieces Ronny did was 718 Eaton Street. I had a friend who lived in a second floor apartment at the rear of this beautiful home about fifteen years ago. I never got to go inside the main part of the house which was featured in the Cuba Gooding Jr. movie "A Murder of Crows". The house has got to be one of the most photographed homes on the Island of Key West. The gingerbread trim of the real house is replicated in Ronny's rendition where he includes details like the old metal mailbox and the family pet sleeping on the second floor front balcony.On each of Ronny's pieces you will see three words which are the watchwords of his life: Joy, Peace, and Love.

One day Ronny showed up at my office with his depiction of the Old Town Bakery in the back of his pickup truck. That's gotta be one of my favorite places in town. The building is so old and beat down. The food inside is incredible. There is always a small line of people waiting for a danish or a sandwich. They make the best of of both. However, the little old baker and interior is not related to the current day reality of the actual bakery.

Ronny was a contractor for years. Today instead of building new houses or repairing old house, he tinkers with pieces of wood and creates small art installations that depict miniature versions of real Key West cottages, homes, and commercial businesses. He has also done paintings and now offers lithographs of some pieces.

In April 2013 Ronny dropped by my office with a special commissioned piece of the house at 513 Fleming Street. It is located adjacent to the Faustos Food Palace next door to the west. The house was previously part of the Louise Maloney Hospital - hence the nurses on the second floor front balcony. Note the watchwords under the skylight in the entry hall. 

Ronny paid artistic tribute to the one story house at 608 William Street. That place was recently completely renovated and expanded. Thank goodness Ronny captured the house before it got redone I love the new place.  Don't get me wrong. But the old place and Ronny's rendition have a special place in my old heart.

In September 2013 Ronny parked his pickup truck across the street from our office. He had his then newest piece, a depiction of the Ernest Hemingway House, in the back of the truck. He posed with the piece which is shown just below. The little figure on the front porch is Papa himself complete with fishing pole at his side. When you look through the screen door into the house you'll see a dog resting on the floor. Dogs, cats, and chickens are found is most of Ronny's pieces. They are everywhere on the Island. They might as well be in the artwork as well.

In February 2014 Ronny and I drove his pickup truck over to 207 Julia Street so I could photograph the miniature house with the real house in the background. Ronny went to the front door where he knocked on the door to ask permission to take photos of the house whereupon I perched the miniature house atop a Waste Management trash can to create a stable base for photographing the two houses. I moved the camera around and caught a side view as if photographing the house looking west on Julia Street.

CLICK HERE  to view the Ronny Bailey Collection as photographed at the Customs House in October 2014.  Owners of various pieces lent their miniature homes for the event.

I have taken several pictures of Ronny over the past few years. This guy always has a smile on his face. If you are in town this weekend or later during the year, drop by the Customs House and take a look at the art this man has created. He is a one-of-a-kind folk artist.  I can only think the pieces he has created of old Key West will continue to appreciate in value over the years. You may not be able to afford an actual cigar makers cottage, but I am sure a lot of my readers can afford one that Ronny Bailey has created.