Gallery On Greene
Key West, Florida Art Gallery

Ronny Bailey

Gallery On Greene  is pleased to represent this 4th generation Key West artisan.

Click on an image for a larger view.

674 Roberts Lane	804 Caroline	824 Thomas
1413 Dunca n	No Trespassing	Mullets

“Island lore has it that if you are born here you can build or fix anything or any problem. Being born here means developing a solution outside the box and most islanders have fixed it or if they are born with five thumbs, have a friend who is a plumber, carpenter, or roofer to fix any emergency no matter what time of day or night. It’s an island thing. We take care of our own and solve our crisis.” Related Nance Frank on viewing Ronny Bailey’s houses.

“Ronny, is one of those people who many have called on, as he can do anything with his hands. Ronny has begun doing more than “fixing things”. His wife Stephanie chimed in. He is making beautifully crafted model houses, from the past and present. 1101 White St. was Peter’s Bait Shop. It is crafted in hundred year old Dade County Pine with the patina of a century. 1431 Duncan is pristine after some lovely renovations and has all of the character of the Southern personage who lived so happily there. 614 Roberts Lane, the Lane where Ronny was born is a classic Conch in architecture and feeling. 804 Caroline is like stepping back in time to sit on the old porch steps and watch the spongers at the weekly auction in the old bight.

Born a fourth generation Key West native, Ronny can be best described as a living breathing "Conch" indeed and need. As a child, Ronny was either running through the lanes picking fruit or gathering shells and tropical fish for sale to the aquarium. He grew up to become a roofer, working for his father, repairing and replacing the old tin roofs. Over the years he became familiar with many of these old wooden house lids. Later he developed his carpentry skills by rebuilding and renovating the old Conch houses in town.

After 30 years of working with these historic old homes he grew to love what we commonly call "Conch Architecture”, the old porches, gingerbread trim and basic lines of the cottages. You might even say he has a bit of wood and tin of the old Key West flowing in his veins.

Ronny loves to use of historic Dade County Pine. He got hands on experience over the years with the architectural details and has applied this to his artwork. Some of his model houses are made with the oldest Dade County Pine and metal roofing rescued from deteriorated local houses, while others are made from new Pine, just following details of the award winning historic homes. Ronny blushed and stated, “I’m stunned and honored to by Nance's invitation to place my artwork in The Gallery on Greene.”