Key West Lighthouse

Right in the middle of town on Whitehead. One of the only lighthouses in a town. Raised to its present height in 1895 I think. I have postcards with details somewhere probably in my suitcase.

I experimented adding more ink to the trees after I painted it. The rooster was in the grounds just not in front of the light house like I drew him. Artistic license. Right. The first lighthouse in Key West was built in 1825 along the shoreline at Whitehead Spit. Lieutenant (later Commodore) Matthew C. Perry recommended its construction to warn ships off of the treacherous shoals surrounding the island. It was a whitewashed brick tower, 47’ high from its foundation to the base of its black iron lantern. Fromhttp://www.kwahs.org/museums/lighthouse-keepers-quarters/first-lighthouse-keepers 

and that’s all from the Florida turnpike near Miami.

Margaret xoxoxoxo heading to Orlando #urbansketching #chickens #chooks has #keywest #islandlife #keywestlight #fluid #watercolor #art #painting #artist #painter #aquarelle #watercolor #painter #florida #lifestyleblogger #lifestylechange #charlesreid #food #restaurant #floridalife

One of my favorite Kew West activities is to follow the chickens around and draw them. As you probably know they abound in Key West.

I once saw a hen and her chicks use the cross walk on Whitehead to cross the road. Truly I did. They are under the tables and chairs in a lot of restaurants like Blue Heaven and B.O.s fish wagon chomping down on scraps. Subsisting off bugs when there are no handouts.

What I drew today.

Pepe’s where we are lunch and we had the best key lime pie and best coconut pie I have ever eaten.

The recipe for the best coconut pie. Sooo good. YUM YUM!!!

We walked along Key West Bight after and I drew some more. This is the Jolly Roger that fires on us during our sunset cruise. I ran out of room for the bow sprit. Hmmm. Maybe a fold out for it?!!

The spirit of America. Managed to get it all on the page.

And our last dinner at Hog Fish Grill which must be our fav since we ate there three times.

Stillman and Birn Charles Reid palette colors.

Maggie on her last night in Key West. Xoxoxo

#urbansketching #keywest #islandlife #hyattbeachhouse #fluid #watercolor #art #painting #artist #painter #aquarelle #watercolor #painter #florida #lifestyleblogger #lifestylechange # #charlesreid #food #restaurant #floridalife

So many choices.

This is what I ended up painting. The beach and the Caribbean bu the Hyatt Beach House. Boats bobbing in the ocean. Gorgeous flowers and palms.

Earlier. What a way to spend the am painting in the Caribbean breezy 75 degree day. Tough right.

My new painting buddy.

Then we were off to Two Friends Bar for a delicious lunch. Our first and only meal of the day. Always a chicken nearby. And a conch cruiser. Love the two tones.

After lunch a trip to the light house so gorgeous in the sunlight. And the Tennessee Williams Museum.

Who knew so many famous movies were made from his plays. I knew he lived on Key west for 30 plus years Tim his death in 1983. His brother thinks he was murdered. 😱

Then we were off to a sunset wine and cheese cruise on the Danger Prize sail boat. I LOVED it. Highly recommend two hours of riding around on a sail boat.

Sailing off into the sunset. Manana Maggie definitely wasting away in Margarita land. Xoxoxo

#urbansketching #keywest #islandlife @onlykeywest #hyattbeachhouse #fluid #watercolor #art #painting #artist #painter #aquarelle #watercolor #painter #florida #lifestyleblogger #lifestylechange # #charlesreid #food #restaurant

Key West is loaded with the cutest houses. Makes you just want to pack up and move here. Of course you would need a couple of million to buy this one. Oops I lied. It’s I. Foreclosure for a mere $774000 on https://www.trulia.com/p/fl/key-west/1409-truman-ave-key-west-fl-33040–2034699214?mid=0#lil-mediaTab.

I chases the chickens around so I could catch them in the sunlight for a good picture to paint at the farmers market across the street from the cute house.

Found a cute trailer at the Market for an art gallery here.

Found one for $139000 including the slip.

We bought cheese tasted hummus and ogled the beautiful plants for sale.

If I could figure out how to get these pitcher plants home I would have bought one for my grandson Henry. I thought they would just get torn up on the long drive home so I passed.

Chases an iguana Aruba in front of the hotel. He wasn’t happy with me. He kept trying to hide from me BUT I would find him.

Sat on the dock a while staring at the boats moored in the bay

and the fish. Can u find the fish?!!

Painted a while then off to our favorite restaurant Louie’s Backyard next to Dog Beach. Dogs have their own beach here.

Tried to take photos of the shrimp boats but they were too far out for my cell phone.

Now we are off to a gallery crawl and hopefully some wine and cheese snacks along the way.

Margaret who should be doing some laundry but hey we are in Margaritaville. Who cares?! Xoxoxox

Truman Ave on parade! #urbansketching #keywest #islandlife @onlykeywest #hyattbeachhouse #fluid #watercolor #art #painting #artist #painter #aquarelle #watercolor #painter #florida #lifestyleblogger #lifestylechange # #charlesreid #food #restaurant

KW style on Terry Lane between Petronia and Olivia.

Only two blocks long Terry Lane is loaded with really cute little houses. The Urban Sketchers of Key West have been meeting every Wednesday for years. The call goes out on FB.

Gorgeous greenery. You just have to ignore the trash cans. Lol. Chickens ran by as we painted and our new bff Casserole hope for rub or two. She rolled one way and then another hoping for attention. After all it was her front step I was sitting on.

14×18” cp fluid paper

Did the next two houses too. A chicken obligingly ran by again as I drew this one.

Then we went around the corner to eat at Blue Heaven in Petronia. We LOVE Blue Heaven. Fabulous food in a funky setting. Buckets of ice tea and killer BLT eggs Benedict. (Bacon, Lobster, Tomato) topped off with a Key Lime pie we shared.

Well I still have to paint it.

So hot. 90 plus and steamy. Feels like 96. Drip drip. But that didn’t stop Tam and I from stopping at a cute new gallery on Petronia on the way back to the car. I mean they had urban sketches selling for hefty prices.

Painted with my Charles Reid palette. Colors used cerulean, peacock blue, burnt sienna, cad yellow light, cad red, ultramarine, alizarin, green apatite and olive green

Nap time. Ttyl. Margaret off to the palm gardens at 6. How much can we cram into one day. Pool party? With free sangria and hot dogs and hamburgers.

WIP- Terry Lane w KW Urbansketchers this Am. #urbansketching #keywest #islandlife @onlykeywest #hyattbeachhouse #fluid #watercolor #art #painting #artist #painter #aquarelle #watercolor #painter #florida #lifestyleblogger #lifestylechange # #charlesreid #food #restaurant

We ate at B.O.’s Fish Wagon down on the harbor on Caroline St for lunch today.

They have the most awesome decorated truck which was right behind Jan. We teased her and made her blow him an air kiss which she good naturedly did.

The food is good in this junk pile of a restaurant literally made out of scrap found on the beach after hurricanes.

And the chickens were anxious for our handouts. I fed them all the yellow peppers from my salad.

Off to Draw and Drink at The Green Parrot.

Margaret xoxoxo

#urbansketching #keywest #islandlife @onlykeywest #hyattbeachhouse #fluid #watercolor #art #painting #artist #painter #aquarelle #atlanta #lostedges #watercolor #painter #aquarelle #allaprima #florida #lifestyleblogger #lifestylechange # #charlesreid

at the Hyatt Tiki Bar in a Key West. Tough life doing exactly what you want all day in paradise. My portable painter palette filled w Holbein m Graham and Daniel smith paint. . Fluid cp 140# a caran D’ache watercolor brush. Wonder where the other one is.

Still needs the sky. I like painting with the water brush but not the sky. Way too demanding for it. Or maybe for me using it. Going to use my kolinsky da Vinci #10 sable for it. I also think it could use a few more darks but the sun kept catching me so now I am chilling on the condo porch.

Did some editing of the tiki bar when people arrived on the left side of the bar. I didn’t ask them to move. Lol. I just walked around to the left and drew them there. Only one tiki god. There are two! Changed the chair color too. Artistic license.

A bien toit. Margaret xoxox

WIP – Wasting away in Margaritaville #urbansketching #keywest #islandlife @onlykeywest #hyattbeachhouse #fluid #watercolor #art #painting #artist #painter #aquarelle #atlanta #lostedges #watercolor #painter #aquarelle #allaprima #florida #lifestyleblogger #lifestylechange # #travel #travelblogger #portraitpainter #portraitpainterofinstagram #portrait #drawing #sketching #lifemodel #charlesreid

The southern most point in the US the Conch Republic a country unto itself.

Where the temps are a balmy 85.

And weird things and people abound.

The fish and the shrimp are fabulous.

Where you can eat dockside and enjoy the sea breezes.

Or slowly meander down the keys on the overseas highway.

Stopping to eat more good food on Key Largo at Buzzards Roost waterside at the Garden marina.

And listen to some Caribbean steel drum music before the strenuous last 125 miles to Key West.

Oh and enjoy their delicious shrimp basket. First sketch of the day. Buzzards Roost on Key Largo for lunch.

And all kinds of fascinating places to sketch. Sooner or later to paint in my coloring book.

I mean it’s paint or eat my fish tacos. Guess which one won?

Sooner or later these will get colored like this one at Malias.

Madeline Tosh sock Sprouting sock by Hedgehog Fibers

Lamy Safari and EF in my stillman and birn.

Margaret ready to put her feet up. Xoxoxoxo

Key West Conch Republic!! #watercolor #art #painting #artist #painter #aquarelle #georgia #allaprima #neocolorii #carandache #stillmanandbirn #artist #painter #aquarelle #lifestyleblogger #lifestylechange #drawing #sketching #charlesreid

How else can we get thru a 800 plus mile drive to Key West?! Nuff said.

This pair is actually done. Yeah. Cashmere for a special person.

Talk to you all tomorrow. Margaret where it’s too dark to see to kit anymore socks. Xoxoxox

#watercolor #art #painting #artist #painter #aquarelle #georgia #allaprima #neocolorii #carandache #stillmanandbirn #artist #painter #aquarelle #lifestyleblogger #lifestylechange #drawing #sketching #charlesreid