Key West Shutter Stories by Elizabeth Devries

The Key West Art & Historical Society hosts a new exhibition: Key West Shutter Stories: The Artwork of Elizabeth Devries. Known locally as Lizzie the Shutter Lady, Devries created sculptural vignettes, assembled from historic window shutters salvaged from Key West homes. This exhibition showcases her work.  More than 40 pieces offer a compelling view of how the artist recreated everyday scenes from reclaimed material.

Devries has been a craftsman in the Florida Keys for over 34 years, integrating historic pieces of old Key West into her three-dimensional works.  She arrived in Key West in 1980 having no woodworking experience or knowledge of power tools.  That quickly changed when she spotted a piece of wood that resembled a book.  She set to work acquiring old house shutters – red from Tennessee Williams’ house, olive green from the Hemingway House and purple from the Artist House – in order to fabricate books and shelves to fashion an intricate library scene.  Since then, Devries has crafted more than 100 diorama scenes, recreating familiar sights such as Sloppy Joe’s Bar, the Southernmost Point, Blue Heaven, Fuzzy’s Shoe Repair, and the Mariel Boatlift.

Event details subject to change. Click source links for latest information.