Thanks to the bounty of the waters around the Florida Keys, Islamorada has garnered global fame as a destination for sportfishing. What’s less well-known about this village, which spans six islands, is that it’s a haven for artists, many of them drawing inspiration from the azure waters and vibrant marine life, as well as the mangroves, marshes, and tropical foliage. Whether it’s at a studio producing traditional Japanese fish prints or on a community-focused art walk, the works here tell stories of conservation, connection, and creative exploration. Here are five outstanding artists and galleries to seek out during your time in Islamorada.
Lisa Lee Herman specializes in creating gyotaku, or fish prints.
Courtesy of Lisa Lee Herman
Gyotaku by Lisa Lee
For decades, anglers have been bringing mounted trophies home from their Florida Keys fishing trips, but at her gallery in Islamorada, Lisa Lee Herman offers a more unique (and arguably more tasteful) way to commemorate these adventures: a gyotaku print. Derived from the Japanese words gyo (fish) and taku (rubbing), this ancient way of printing was once used by fishermen to record their catches. Herman uses a variation of the technique called Takuseikai, which she learned from its inventor, Master Masatzu Matsunaga. She cleans the fish, applies nontoxic black ink to it (so it remains edible), and then presses on traditional Japanese rice paper to capture the scales, fins, and other details. Once the print is complete, she trims the edges and embellishes the piece with strokes of vibrant paint. “As a Florida native, gyotaku unifies my passion for fine art and fishing,” Herman says, “and I hope you find beauty and inspiration in each unique piece.”
You don’t have to be into fishing to take home Herman’s works, either. Anyone can purchase an original print or commission a piece that uses subjects sourced from local captains, fishers, and even the artist’s own expeditions.
The Hale Gallery
The Hale Gallery is in the Morada Way Arts & Cultural District, a thriving nexus of galleries and shops in downtown Islamorada. In 2023, Key Largo native Taylor Hale and his wife, Kelly, founded the space, where they display works not only by Taylor—his oil paintings perfectly encapsulate the beauty of the Keys, with their cotton-candy sunset skies and turquoise seascapes—but also by other local and national contemporary artists. (The current show, which runs until February 4, features the mesmerizing landscapes of John David Hawver; later in February, see works by Roberto Pantaleo, aka Art by Pasta, who paints bright, dynamic images of marine life.)
“We love inspiring creativity and connection and thrive in assisting both new and seasoned art collectors with finding artwork that enhances their everyday lives,” says Taylor, who is often found at the gallery, immersed in his latest work. If you miss him, there are other ways to engage with the Hale Gallery, including community events and workshops such as Reiki sessions, yoga classes, and book launches.
Michelle Nicole Loewe’s works have helped raise money for organizations including the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center.
Courtesy of Michelle Loewe
You’ll find a wide range of art and other items for sale at the Rain Barrel.
Photo by Vivian Vo
Michelle Nicole Lowe
Art runs in Michelle Nicole Lowe’s family—her cousin Alton Roland Lowe is a successful artist in the Bahamas and the founder of the Albert Lowe Museum in New Plymouth—so it shouldn’t be a surprise that she has become one of the best-known artists in the Florida Keys. It’s also not much of a surprise, given the natural canvas these islands and the waters around them provide, that her work is inspired by the underwater world.
In fact, Lowe’s practice often involves drawing or painting immediately after she goes out for a snorkeling or diving session. Her delicate yet vivid watercolors of marine life—tarpon, parrotfish, turtles, pelicans, herons—capture the essence of the Keys.
After 10 years of running a gallery in Islamorada, Lowe moved to a home studio in 2024, but you can still see her work at such places as the Islamorada Fishing Club and the Safe Harbor Angler House, and you can purchase paintings and gift cards at her online shop.
Morada Way Art Walk
Every third Thursday of the month, from 6 to 9 p.m., the Morada Way Arts & Cultural District holds an Art Walk that transforms a slice of Islamorada into a vibrant open-air gallery. As the sun sets, the six-block corridor between mile markers 81 and 82 comes alive with twinkling lights, live music, and, of course, art on display. Highlights include shimmering images of marine life at Jessica Ann Art and expressive realist paintings by Jul Jankowski at Limelight Studio + Gallery. (Jankowski, who describes her work as a “celebrative ode to the element of light,” also teaches classes at Limelight, along with her mother, Sue, another artist.)
Aside from getting to see the works and meet the artists behind them, visitors to the Art Walk will be able to sample fresh seafood and cold drinks from local vendors, such as Kaiyo Grill & Sushi, Florida Keys Brewing Company, and Green Turtle Inn. Taken together, the event provides the perfect opportunity to experience the unique island culture of Islamorada firsthand.
You’ll find a wide range of art and other items for sale at the Rain Barrel.
Photo by Vivian Vo
Rain Barrel Village
You can’t really miss Rain Barrel Village; after all, its signature showpiece is a 30-foot-tall, 40-foot-long fiberglass crustacean, Betsy the Lobster, which took local sculptor Richard Blaze five years to complete back in the 1980s.
Aside from being eye-catching, Betsy gives you an idea of what to expect here: handmade crafts, contemporary artworks, and a fair bit of kitsch. The open-air, garden-style campus—a whimsical driftwood sculpture gives directions—is dotted with studios and shops featuring treasures such as handblown hummingbirds at Sculptured Glass Gallery, marine-themed paintings at Art on a Whim, and essential oil–based lotions and scents at Bella Sol. If all the shopping has you feeling peckish, the on-site food counters offer boba tea and, yes, lobster rolls. Sorry, Betsy.
