On my recent cruise that I went on we stopped in beatiful Key West, FL. I only got to spend a measly 3 hours in the town but I fell in love. It reminded me of Savannah and Tybee Island in Georgia where I first attended college. The architecture and environment is so lovely. Touring the town the quickest way we could by the Old Town Trolley. After it my dad found no interest in the Key West Art Center http://www.keywestartcenter.com/ and decided to take a quick look. There was two watercolor paintings that caught my eye. I soon talked to the lady working the desk. I knew they were very similar in style but I found out one of the artists was teacher to the other. It was very interesting to find this out. The teacher, Sandford Birdsey had her studio not even a 10 min walk away and I was told I could go visit. Shame that I couldn't though. I was supposed to be boarding the ship very soon. So I got both artists names and websites so I could learn more about them.
Sandford Birdsey's website http://www.signofsandford.com/ quickly wraps up the artist to show her well known talents.
Sandford Birdsey is an internationally known artist who lives and works in Key West, Florida. Her watercolor paintings are in several noted private collections including that of the late President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and the Phillip Morris Collection.
Reviews of Sandford's work have been in Time Magazine, The New York Times, Art News, Arts, Journal American and Sea History.
Sandford is a founding member of the American Society of Marine Artists. She is also a member of the Florida Watercolor Society and the Key West Art Center. Her work has been exhibited in shows around Florida and at the New York Colliseum, the Twin Towers and at the Whitney Museum in New York City.
To find out that she is so well known is amazing I haven't heard about her before. But I don't know much about current artists, I learn about mostly about those in the past. Below is some of her work shown from her website.
Another artist's work that caught my eye in that gallery was Martha dePoo. Martha was taught by many different people stated on her website including Sandford Birdsey. Their work is similar but Sandford's art is looser and less detail than Martha's work. Both artists use amazing colors.
Martha dePoo is a Key West native and always was involved with art and colors but didn't become a full time artist until 1984. On her website http://www.marthadepoo.com/ she says this about her subject matter.
Her current focus is capturing the unique and fast disappearing flavor of old Key West and the surrounding keys.
" I really didn't have a choice, my mother and paternal grandmother were both successful artists, and they instilled in me the desire to create and a deep appreciation of the beauty that surrounds us."
Martha DePoo
Both of their work is beautiful and so is Key West. I can't wait to go back one day with friends so I can learn more and have some fun next time.
3 comments:
Hi there, Just thought you would like to know about the passing of Sandford. When I lived in KW I exhibited along side her and Martha....Loved your feature piece on both the artists. Isn't KW great? I miss it!
Here is the link to her passing:
http://keysnews.com/node/26158
Have a birdsey I’d like to sake. Large watercolor original.
Post a Comment