Shady Palm Art Gallery & Frame Shop

Shady Palm Art Gallery & Frame Shop sits on the Overseas Highway in Marathon, behind a facade painted by Keys muralist Shannon Wiley. Inside, more than 50 local artists sell their work, which makes the gallery less a single curated collection than a cross-section of what people in the Middle Keys are actually making.

Owner Janice Nagel is a working artist who took over the gallery from previous owners Lori and Barry Gaukel. The inventory reflects that range of makers: oil and acrylic paintings, photography, giclée prints, sculpture, stained glass, pottery and ceramics, carved wood, driftwood pieces, metalwork, handblown and fused glass jewelry, and shell and sea glass art. Amanda Jorgensen of Sand and Soul Studio works in functional ceramics and laser-cut pieces, including art made from retired lobster traps. Becky Lee Mesa builds her work from materials headed for the trash. Mary Koester and Barb Johnson, who work together as the Shelling Sisters, use shell, beach glass and marble. Commissions are accepted, and an online store carries a portion of the inventory, with some artists shipping directly.

The frame shop is a real frame shop, not an afterthought. Custom framing and fine art printing are done on site, with glass preservation options, a selection of ready-made frames, and an online design tool for working out a frame before you come in. It keeps the same hours as the gallery.

An indoor classroom hosts art classes taught by local artists, with a published registration calendar, so the gallery doubles as a place to learn a medium rather than just buy one. Out back there is a shaded outdoor event area with padded seating, tables, a tiki bar and room for catering, available to rent for private gatherings. The Florida Keys SPCA has used it as an event venue, and it has hosted pop-up exhibitions including the Connections Project.

The gallery is closed Sundays and Mondays. Call ahead if you are planning around a specific day, since hours shift with the season.