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.

Ronny Bailey - Key West Artist

The Northwest Passage Lighthouse aka Hemingway House on Stilts

How would you like to buy a cigar maker's cottage made of real Dade County Pine for $2000 or less? Well, you can. Sort of. Ronny Bailey is a fourth generation conch that spent 30 years of his life restoring many of the old houses in Key West. A few years ago he started fooling around with some salvaged Dade County Pine and created his first new old house replica. His wife came home and exclaimed "I didn't know you could do that!" Ronny replied "Neither did I." And so began his new career as artist-carpenter where he creates miniature near replicas of real houses in Key West using salvaged lumber. Ronny stresses that he only uses old salvaged wood to construct the houses. He doesn't paint the pieces. Instead he relies on the ravages of our sun and the weather to create the natural patina that make each piece look so genuine. Ronny's inner artist comes out when he adds a bit of whimsy such as a rooster or a cat napping to his work.

Ronny dropped by my office a couple of weeks ago so that I could take photos of his new piece entitled "The Northwest Passage Lighthouse aka Hemingway House on Stilts". CLICK HERE to view a US Coast Guard photo of the real lighthouse. See the photos below of the artist and his rendering of the lighthouse.

The Northwest Passage Lighthouse aka Hemingway House on Stilts before completed

Photo of the lighthouse interior.
Note the real Dade County Pine wood walls and floor.

CLICK HERE to see Ronny Bailey's website with lots of photos and information on his one of a kind Key West art. Take a couple of minutes to go through the original miniature facades and the more affordable prints. Ronny does commissioned pieces as well.

Ronny Bailey will be exhibiting his works in this weekend at the Key West Craft show (Whitehead and Caroline Streets). If you are in town, you must drop by and view his work. You have to see Ronny's work in person. You cannot resist getting up close and personal with his art. You will be awed! Looks are free, prints cost a bit more, and originals are very expensive. Buying one of Ronny's original artwork facades and taking it back home is cheaper and safer than buying a trailer. We all know that God hates trailers.

Ronny Bailey - Artist

If you are looking to purchase a life size Key West house and are not yet working with a Realtor, please consider contacting me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or by email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West, Florida. I sell real houses in Paradise.

The Incredible Shrunk ! Key West

113 Petronia Street - Key West - Re-created by Ronny Bailey

113 Petronia Street - Key West - Re-created by Ronny Bailey

113 Petronia Street - Key West - Re-created by Ronny Bailey

113 Petronia Street - Key West - Re-created by Ronny Bailey

Local artist Ronny Bailey came by our office yesterday and showed off his latest gem. Everybody had to stop work and go take a peek at portrayal of 113 Petronia Street that got shrunk to table top size.

You have to see Ronny's work in person. You cannot resist getting up close and personal with his art. You will be awed!

I wrote about Ronny before. CLICK HERE. He grew up in Key West and was a carpenter for 30 years. Recreation of Old Town Key West homes in miniature sizes is now his passion. He beams with pride as he talks about his work. This is a man in love with his life and his work. And his work is a testament to his love of the place that he has called home. He loves the Key West of yore and recreates houses the way they looked before the gentrification and HARCifornication.

Ronny told me he had discussed creating a piece about 113 Petronia Street with its owner. The owner had some of the original wood used in building the house and gave it to Ronny. Ronny cut, sawed, and carved the wood and created the incredible shrunk.

113 Petronia Street as it appeared in 1965

Ronny will be one of many artists showing their creations at The 25Th Annual Key West Craft Show January 30 to January 31 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Juried artisans and crafters display their talents at a popular show on lower Whitehead and Caroline Streets in historic Old Town.

Visit Ronny's website if you are not in town. CLICK HERE. But if you are here, stop by and see the Incredible Shrunk.

If you are looking for a life size house, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. I sell real houses. They sometimes cost a lot of money. But you can really live in them. CLICK HERE to search the Key West mls. If you see a place you like, please call me. Thanks.

The Ernest Hemingway House - in Miniature

Ronny Bailey is a six generation Conch that spent 30 years of his life as a carpenter who repaired and restored many of the old houses in Key West. A few years ago he started tinkering around with some salvaged Dade County Pine and created his first new old house replica. His wife came home from work and exclaimed "I didn't know you could do that!" Ronny replied "Neither did I." And so began his new career as artist-carpenter who uses salvaged lumber to create miniature near replicas of real houses and buildings in Key West. Ronny stresses that he only uses old salvaged wood to construct the houses. He doesn't paint the pieces. Instead he relies on the ravages of our sun and the weather to create the natural patina that make each piece look so genuine. 

Ronny's most recent piece is a miniature version of the Ernest Hemingway House which is located at 907 Whitehead Street in Key West, Florida.  I found a photo of the real house so that you can compare the real with Ronny Bailey's folk art.  Ronny's version comes complete with a hand carved figure of the old man himself standing on the front porch with fishing pole in hand. Cats abound everywhere - on the roof, on the porches, in the garden, and even lounging in the flower box. If you look inside the first floor center door you will see a cat laying on the stairway. Inside each door or window you will find some vignette that sets each space off with a bit of Ronny's passion for whimsy and detail.  Inside one window Ronny painted a mirror hanging on the wall. The mirror reflects the blue sky and palm tree one would reflected from across Whitehead Street. On the wall behind another door there is a painting of Ernest and a trophy fish he caught. 

Unlike the majority of Ronny's pieces which are fashioned of Dade County Pine, the Hemingway House is stucco.  The first floor French doors and second floor windows have paladin windows that given this home a look unlike others in Key West. The ground floor has saltillo tiles whereas the second floor deck has wood planks. The wrought iron pillars surround the house to support the second floor deck.  If you look close you will see the two story porch attaches to the metal roof system so familiar in Key West.  You must look very carefully CLICK HERE to see minute details like paint drippings and clamps that attach the metal roof to the porch system. 

And just so that you appreciate the magnitude of this undertaking, everything you see was carved or created by Ronny Bailey.  Nothing you see came out of a "kit".  You cannot go to any store to buy the iron railing, or historically correct wood shutters, or any minute artifact that makes up the totality of this piece of art. 

The Ernest Hemingway House and other pieces of Ronny Bailey's art are now on display at the Fleming Street Gallery at 830 Fleming Street, Key West. Ronny's larger pieces are quite expensive. He has created small version that may be purchased at lower prices.  See two examples below. 

 CLICK HERE to view more pics of the Ronny's Hemingway House. Click on any photo to enlarge. 

I am continually amazed at the attention to detail and the love Ronny imparts to each piece of work he creates. The original pieces are quite expensive. The smaller high quality art photos are reasonably priced and will appeal to Hemingway and Bailey fans alike. Get them before they are gone.