Closing Reception: Everglades Americana – The Art of Dick Jay

Join us for a closing reception for our exhibit Everglades Americana – The Art of Dick Jay

About the Exhibit

When asked to describe his art, long-time Everglades area resident Dick Jay provides a one-word response: “Americana.” Born and raised in Michigan, Mr. Jay – a Korean War Veteran who flew with the Flying Tigers 74th Fighter Squadron – first spotted the Everglades City area from above while flying training missions from Eglin Air Force Base on Florida’s panhandle. He began visiting the region in the mid-1950s and would eventually retire to his current home on Plantation Key in the late 1980s.

As he immersed himself in the region’s unique culture and history, Dick Jay found himself compelled to capture the stories and scenes he was collecting through art. “I’m not creating anything new. I’m just recording it,” he states. Self-taught, except for a drawing class at Wayne State University, the 90-year old Jay’s distinctive folk-art style incorporates elements of everything from New England Primitivism to French Impressionism while maintaining a connection to his rough-and-tumble roots.

The works chosen for this exhibit capture scenes of everyday life in the 10,000 Islands both from the past and present. Mr. Jay’s paintings speak a universal language that is disarmingly homespun yet poignant and powerful. Explore stories of Florida’s last frontier through the eyes of Dick Jay, an American original.