Gallery on Greene presents ‘Havana Dreamin’’

featuring Andy Thurber and Wayne Garcia

The same 90 miles of saltwater still separate the sister islands, but Cuba and Key West have never been closer.

Maps haven’t changed, attitudes have.

For some, the increasing access to Cuba represents a nostalgic return to a golden and bygone era of ferry rides and frequent flights to a foreign, yet familiar land. For those who have only known the closed-off Cuba, the changing tide offers an exciting introduction to unknown possibilities.

Gallery on Greene continues to cultivate the creative connections that have always, artistically, bridged the distance in those notorious 90 miles.

“To grow up in Key West was to grow up Cuban,” said Gallery on Greene owner Nance Frank, recalling her school days at the San Carlos Institute and slipping easily back into the Spanish staccato that filled her childhood.

Gallery on Greene, 606 Greene St., will celebrate those continuing connections on Oct. 24 with Havana Dreamin’, featuring the Cuban-inspired work of Key West artists Andy Thurber and Wayne Garcia.

“I’m a closet Cuban, having grown up here amongst the Cuban people, and this year’s show will highlight the closeness of our two island cities,” said Thurber, who has lived in Key West his whole life and whose wife’s family came from Cuba in the 1860s. “

Thurber’s only trip to Cuba was aboard a shrimp boat during the Mariel Boatlift in 1980, when brought more than 100 Cubans to America.

“I got to spend a night partying in Havana and have dreamed of returning for a long time,” said Thurber, whose work bears the unmistakable mark of Cuban humor and humility.

His paintings feature fishing boats and familiar landmarks, while poking fun at current events and local legends. He invites viewers to laugh with him at the Key West parking attendant who stole thousands – in quarters – from downtown parking meters. Thurber’s work is at times humorous, but always human.

Wayne Garcia grew up in Key West listening to his father tell stories about his home across the waves.

“He’d take us down to the White Street Pier, on the south side of Key West, and would always make sure we walked to its very end – closest to Cuba,” said Garcia, whose wood carvings are reminiscent of the legendary Cuban-born folk artist Mario Sanchez. “There, he would tell us stories of Cuba and would always say that if we looked really hard into the distance, we could see the lights of Havana.”

Garcia saw those lights for himself two years ago – though not from the White Street Pier. His own Havana dreams became real and now live forever in his artwork.

“Havana now truly has a place in my heart,” Garcia said. “Its people and places are unforgettable and I find myself thinking about that city all the time.”

Both artists capture the connections between Key West and Cuba – whether they exist in memory or imagination, for those who have been there, and for those who are still Havana Dreamin’.

Havana Dreamin’, featuring Wayne Garcia and Andy Thurber, opens with an artists’ reception from 5 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Gallery on Greene, 606 Greene St. For more information, call 305-294-1669 or visit www.galleryongreene.com

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]