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Way back when………. Remember? During Covid, people were moving to Key West in droves. And buying up homes. (And driving up prices, but we can talk about THAT later.) 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…Because I didn’t have any employees I could work in my studio everyday. And I had no problem letting people in to visit. 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 thisAs a result, my business actually boomed during that time, because people weren’t just relocating. — They were building a new version of their life. #newandimproved They wanted art that amplified all that.
Fast forward to nowOver the last two years some of those same people are quietly trickling away.
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 thisThe new homeowners walk into my studio because they recognize my paintings from the listing photos. #thankyouZillow 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 finallyThat’s when a house really starts becoming home. 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 |
Maggie RuleyMaggie 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. ArchivesCategories |
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