This painting wasn't supposed to have any people in it.When I started, I simply wanted to paint a winding tropical lazy river filled with white inner tubes drifting through the water. I loved the peaceful feeling of it, but after a while I realized something was missing. It needed a little life—but not the kind of busy, noisy activity you usually associate with water parks.  Then it came to me. What if it wasn't just a lazy river? What if there were women reading? Sounds right! And what do we call a group of women friends who read books together? A Book Club 👍 |
| Maggie Ruley is a studio artist living in Key West, Florida. Her colorful, island-inspired acrylic paintings celebrate the charm, light, and character of Key West life. Maggie’s work is collected worldwide and can be found in island homes near and far. She has been featured in The Key West Citizen, New York Daily News, and other publications. Visit her studio and gallery, Maggie Ruley ~ Island Inspirations, at 933b Fleming Street in the Historic Seaport area of Old Town Key West. www.maggieruley.com |  |
Celebrate and Protect
World Ocean Day
On World Ocean Day, it's a reminder that the sea is more than a destination—it is home to countless creatures, a source of inspiration, and a treasure worth protecting for future generations.
May we continue to appreciate, respect, and care for the blue heart of our planet. 🌎💙🐋
— Maggie Ruley, Key West Artist
About the artist
| Maggie Ruley is a studio artist living in Key West, Florida. Her colorful, island-inspired acrylic paintings celebrate the charm, light, and character of Key West life. Maggie’s work is collected worldwide and can be found in island homes near and far. She has been featured in The Key West Citizen, New York Daily News, and other publications. Visit her studio and gallery, Maggie Ruley ~ Island Inspirations, at 933b Fleming Street in the Historic Seaport area of Old Town Key West. www.maggieruley.com | |
Beach House Love II
Beach House Love II
16” x 20” x .75 Acrylic Painting on standard canvas.
Image extends around edges.
Unframed.
Shipping: We offer FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the continental US. If you are located elsewhere, please email [email protected] for shipping rates.
Your painting is hand packaged with care and shipped from Key West, Florida via UPS or USPS.
Please allow up to 7-10 business days for shipping.
Note: please allow for a slight variation in color from the original, due to viewing on various devices.
Maggie Ruley Key West
One-of-a-kind Original Acrylic Painting
Artist retains all copyrights ©️
Shoreline and Surf
Shoreline and Surf
Original Key West shoreline painting with real shells, sand, and sea glass from Fort Zach Beach. Textured coastal wall art in a 16 x 20 framed canvas.
Details
- Original acrylic and mixed media painting
- 16” x 20” canvas
- Framed in a white and black floater frame
- Framed size: 18” x 22” x 1.5” deep
- Ready to hang
Free shipping- Continental USA
No returns, contact: [email protected] if you have concerns.
NOTE: Colors may vary slightly from original due to different monitors and devices
I’ll teach you how on beautiful Cape Cod
Your pet will be pre-traced on a 16x20 canvas before class, making it easy and fun for beginners. You'll arrive to find your canvas ready to paint.
Just choose a good head-and-shoulders photo of your pet and email it by August 15. I'll prepare the outline before class.
All paints, brushes, and materials are included. Bring your favorite beverage and snacks and enjoy an afternoon of painting with fellow pet lovers.
Space is limited to 16 painters, so early registration is recommended.
Find out more
About the artist
| Maggie Ruley is a studio artist living in Key West, Florida. Her colorful, island-inspired acrylic paintings celebrate the charm, light, and character of Key West life. Maggie’s work is collected worldwide and can be found in island homes near and far. She has been featured in The Key West Citizen, New York Daily News, and other publications. Visit her studio and gallery, Maggie Ruley ~ Island Inspirations, at 933b Fleming Street in the Historic Seaport area of Old Town Key West. | |
Explore the paintings
New on the website: Special Studio Pricing
I’ve added a new section called Special Studio Pricing featuring a group of original paintings at especially good studio prices. Some are older favorites. Some are experimental pieces. Some are paintings that simply deserve a fresh set of eyes.👀
I’ve also added quite a few brand new paintings throughout the website, so there’s lots of new work to explore right now.
One thing I’ve realized lately is that many people have never really browsed my website the way they would walk through a gallery. They may see a painting or two on Facebook or Instagram, but they don’t always realize how much artwork is actually there.
So this is your invitation to take a look around.
You’ll find colorful island-inspired originals, smaller pieces, larger statement paintings, tropical skies, palms, roosters, marsh scenes, and all kinds of little bits of Key West life scattered throughout the collection.
And yes… there are a few especially good finds waiting in the Special Studio Pricing section too.
Happy browsing,
Maggie
Before the Storm
Before the Storm
Colorful Turquoise Waves are starting to churn on the beach. A perfect coastal wave acrylic painting.
Image: 18 x 24” on smooth panel
With frame: 21 x 27”.
Framed in a whitewashed bar wood frame.
Shipping: We offer FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the continental US. If you are located elsewhere, please email [email protected] for shipping rates.
Your painting is hand packaged with care and shipped from Key West, Florida via UPS or USPS.
Please allow up to 7-10 business days for shipping.
Note: please allow for a slight variation in color from the original, due to viewing on various devices.
Maggie Ruley Original one-of-a-kind acrylic artwork from Key West, Florida
Artist retains all copyrights ©️
Maggie Ruley-Island Inspirations | A Key West Art Gallery | 933b Fleming St.
11th Street Beach, Tybee Island
Tybee Isand Beach Access - leave only footprints
part of the Tybee-inspired collection and infused with coastal vibes.
11” x 14” x .5 Acrylic Painting on canvas.
Image extends around edges.
Ready to hang.
Shipping: We offer FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the continental US. If you are located elsewhere, please email [email protected] for shipping rates.
Your painting is hand packaged with care and shipped from Key West, Florida via UPS or USPS.
Please allow up to 7-10 business days for shipping.
Note: please allow for a slight variation in color from the original, due to viewing on various devices.
Maggie Ruley Original one-of-a-kind acrylic artwork from Key West, Florida
Artist retains all copyrights ©️
Maggie Ruley-Island Inspirations | A Key West Art Gallery | 933b Fleming St.
Flowers in a Greek Vase
Flowers in a Greek Vase
Colorful floral arrangement in an Ancient Greek vase with a charming owl decoration.
16” x 20” x .5” Acrylic Painting on canvas.
Framed with white frame - adds 1” to each dimension
Ready to hang.
Shipping: We offer FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the continental US. If you are located elsewhere, please email [email protected] for shipping rates.
Your painting is hand packaged with care and shipped from Key West, Florida via UPS or USPS.
Please allow up to 7-10 business days for shipping.
Note: please allow for a slight variation in color from the original, due to viewing on various devices.
Maggie Ruley Original one-of-a-kind acrylic artwork from Key West, Florida
Artist retains all copyrights ©️
Maggie Ruley-Island Inspirations | A Key West Art Gallery | 933b Fleming St.
Summer on the Cape
Summer on the Cape by Maggie Ruley
Vintage sand pail and shovel on a beautiful beach
- Oil on standard canvas
- 12” x 12” x .75”
- unpainted edges
Happy memories of New England summer beach day as sailboats race by. I have fond memories of a Cape Cod vacation and the beautiful wild roses that line the beach path.
Shipping: We offer FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the continental US. If you are located elsewhere, please email [email protected] for shipping rates.
Your painting is hand packaged with care and shipped from Key West, Florida via UPS or USPS.
Please allow up to 10-14 business days for shipping.
Maggie Ruley Original one-of-a-kind acrylic artwork from Key West, Florida
Artist retains all copyrights ©️
Maggie Ruley-Island Inspirations | A Key West Art Gallery | 933b Fleming St.
Splash of Color
Splash of Color
Contemporary floral painting
14” x 11” plus frame.
Acrylic Painting on canvas.
Shipping: We offer FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the continental US. If you are located elsewhere, please email [email protected] for shipping rates.
Your painting is hand packaged with care and shipped from Key West, Florida via UPS or USPS.
Please allow up to 10-14 business days for shipping.
Maggie Ruley Original one-of-a-kind acrylic artwork from Key West, Florida
Artist retains all copyrights ©️
Maggie Ruley-Island Inspirations | A Key West Art Gallery | 933b Fleming St.
Sassy Rooster
Sassy Rooster
colorful Key West Rooster by Maggie Ruley
acrylic on canvas
12” x 10” with frame
Free shipping- continental United States
Sail Away
Sail Away
colorful Key West sailboat by Maggie Ruley
acrylic on canvas
14” x 11” unframed
painted sides, ready to hang
Class demonstration painting
Free shipping- continental United States
Blue Heron
Blue Heron
colorful Blue Heron and sunset painting by Maggie Ruley
acrylic on canvas
14” x 11” unframed
painted sides, ready to hang
Class demonstration painting
Free shipping- continental United States
Beauty in the Reeds
Beauty in the Reeds
colorful blue heron with butterflies by Maggie Ruley
acrylic on canvas
12” x 12” x 1.5”
gallery wrap canvas, no framing required
Free shipping- continental United States
Brilliant Foliage
Brilliant Foliage
colorful tropical foliage with butterflies by Maggie Ruley
acrylic on canvas
12” x 12” x 1.5”
gallery wrap canvas, no framing required
Free shipping- continental United States
About the artist
Her colorful, island-inspired acrylic paintings celebrate the charm, light, and character of Key West life.
Maggie’s work is collected worldwide and can be found in island homes near and far.
She has been featured in The Key West Citizen, New York Daily News, and other publications.
Visit her studio and gallery, Maggie Ruley ~ Island Inspirations,
at 933b Fleming Street in the Historic Seaport area of Old Town Key West.
Fresh off the easel
A little coastal, a little dressy, and full of thick paint and soft island color. These oversized oysters have that cocktail-hour energy I keep coming back to lately.
Painted in the studio in Key West with palette knife layers and a peachy pink background that reminds me of late afternoon light before dinner plans.
This one feels like summer by the water. 🍸🌴
Email subscribers always get the first look and first dibs before new work is officially released online or in the studio.
Join my email list at HERE
Her colorful, island-inspired acrylic paintings celebrate the charm, light, and character of Key West life.
Maggie’s work is collected worldwide and can be found in island homes near and far. She has been featured in The Key West Citizen, New York Daily News, and other publications.
Visit her studio and gallery, Maggie Ruley ~ Island Inspirations, at 933b Fleming Street in the Historic Seaport area of Old Town Key West.
.www.maggieruley.com
I’ve been working on new paintings and the studio walls are filled with fresh color, texture, clouds, palms, cottages, and island scenes inspired by life here in Key West.
If you’re out walking around Old Town this weekend, stop in and say hello. Visitors are always welcome, whether you’re looking for artwork or just curious to see what’s happening in the studio.
Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday weekend.
Big hugs,
Maggie
About the artist
Maggie Ruley is a studio artist living in Key West, Florida. Her colorful, island-inspired acrylic paintings celebrate the charm, light, and character of Key West life.
Maggie’s work is collected worldwide and can be found in island homes near and far.
She has been featured in The Key West Citizen, New York Daily News, and other publications.
Visit her studio and gallery, Maggie Ruley ~ Island Inspirations, at 933b Fleming Street in the Historic Seaport area of Old Town Key West.
www.maggieruley.com
Key West artist, Maggie Ruley, with her “Mango Nation” oil painting outside her studio -Island Inspirations, 933 Fleming Street, Key West, Florida
While I was painting it, I started thinking about America’s upcoming 250th anniversary and some of the loose, energetic flag paintings I’ve done over the years.
They’ve always been fun paintings.
Bold brushwork. Strong color. A little movement. A little chaos. The kind of painting where perfection is definitely not the goal.
And honestly, they’re not hard to paint.
That got me thinking this might be the perfect year to teach other people how to create their own version for this very special July 4th season.
So I decided to turn it into an online painting experience.
My “Not Your Average” American Flag Acrylic Painting Experience takes place inside a private Facebook group where students can paint along with me at their own pace.
As soon as you join, you’ll have access to the painting instruction videos and templates, so you can get started right away.
Then we’ll also have live paint-along sessions where you can ask questions, watch demonstrations, and share the experience with the group.
The painting itself is loose, colorful, and forgiving.
This is not about painting a stiff, ruler-straight flag.
It’s about creating something with personality and energy that feels festive and handmade.
Something you’ll actually want to hang up for Memorial Day, July 4th, summer parties, beach houses, lake houses, porches, or backyard celebrations.
And honestly, there’s something extra special about being able to say, “I painted that myself.”
Especially this year.
The class is designed for beginners and experienced painters alike.
Students can paint on either an 11x14 or 16x20 canvas using their own acrylic supplies.
Drawing templates are included along with step-by-step instruction videos and the live sessions inside the Facebook classroom.
The class is just $25 in honor of the America 250 celebration.
And if you can’t attend the livestreams live or your internet connection is slow, no worries. Everything will remain available to replay and watch anytime.
I think this one is going to be a lot of fun.
Hope you’ll join me.
Big hugs,
Maggie
Not a fan of Facebook? Or painting with groups?
I get it!!
There’s a video only version of the class you can access to paint when you want, how you want. ⤵️🇺🇸
It happened fast.
People suddenly realized they could work from anywhere. Big cities felt stressful. Winter felt long. Everybody seemed to be rethinking what they wanted their life to look like.
Most of all, Key West felt safe.
And for a lot of people, living in Key West had always been sitting quietly in the back of their mind.
This was their chance to make it happen.
Meanwhile in my studio…
Masks required. ✅ Doors open.✅
People would wander into my studio thrilled and excited about their escape from crowded spaces and the fact that they were livin’-the-dream.
And they wanted their homes to reflect that.
That’s how my art fits into this
— They were building a new version of their life. #newandimproved
They wanted art that amplified all that.
- A painting of palms.
- A rooster for the kitchen.
- Big skies.
- Island cottages.
- Bright colors that felt completely different from wherever they came from.
Fast forward to now
- Life changes.
- Priorities shift.
- Families grow.
- Parents age.
- Jobs change.
- Some people realize they missed the seasons.
- Some discover they love Key West more as a vacation than as everyday life.
And here’s what often happens when that sale takes place.
The sellers are moving off the island, but they want to hold on to some of the island vibes.
So they take the artwork with them.
The furniture might stay.
The dishes might stay.
But nope, they’re keeping the Art.
So, what’s happening these days, is this
Or sometimes, they come with pictures on their phone asking, “Do you know who painted this?”
If it’s local work, because I’ve been in Key West since 1985, I can usually help and connect them to the right artist or gallery.
I’ve grown up as part of the Key West art community.
Now, here’s what I think is the cool part. ⤵️
Because the walls are bare, (remember, OMG! the sellers took the art)
the new homeowners get the chance to decide how they want their new home to look and feel like.
🚫Not what the previous owners liked.
🚫Not what came staged with the house.
🚫Not what matched somebody else’s life.
Their own version of living on island time. #5o’clocksomewhere
And finally
And somewhere down the road, maybe years from now, they may end up carrying those paintings away too.
A physical reminder that for one chapter of their life, they lived on a tiny island at the end of the road where the air smelled like saltwater and sunscreen and people wore flip flops to dinner.
That’s one of the things I love most about making art in Key West.
The paintings don’t just decorate the walls.
They hold the memory of the life that happens here.
Maggie Ruley - Island Inspirations
933 Fleming Street
Key West, FL
People wander in here for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes they’re looking for a specific painting they saw in a home. Sometimes they just want to look around and get inspired
. Either way, the door is usually open, the music is probably playing, and there’s almost always fresh paint somewhere in the studio.
About the artist
Maggie Ruley is a studio artist living in Key West, Florida. Her colorful, island-inspired acrylic paintings celebrate the charm, light, and character of Key West life. Maggie’s work is collected worldwide and can be found in island homes near and far.
She has been featured in The Key West Citizen, New York Daily News, and other publications.
Visit her studio and gallery, Maggie Ruley ~ Island Inspirations, at 933b Fleming Street in the Historic Seaport area of Old Town Key West.
www.maggieruley.com
Maggie Ruley
Maggie Ruley is a Key West–based artist whose contemporary paintings capture the color, light, and spirit of island living. Her work is collected by visitors and island residents who want to bring that relaxed, vibrant feeling into their spaces.
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