Artist Born for this time, Lived on a landfill as a child. Reuse Became the way of life. To read the story from the inception of the Name Hong Kong Willie. Famed, by the humble statements form the Key West Citizen, viable art from reuse has found its time. To Live a life in the art world and be so blessed to make a social impact. Artists are to give back, talent is to tell a story,
GREEN HANDBAGS CALL 813 770 4794 "GOOGLE HONG KONG WILLIE".
Updated September 1 2011
GREEN HANDBAGS MADE IN AMERICA
meaningful concept of green bags
HONG KONG WILLIE ON FOX TAMPA BAY
Hong Kong Willie purses, handbags, beach bags, funky handbags,handmade handbags,and all handbags are green handbags. A purse handbag or beach bag. Art of Hong Kong Willie: preservation represented many ways, here for example: Hippie Bags, Green Bags, Beach Bags, Hippie Upcycled Bracelets, Key West Reclaimed Board Art, Christmas Stockings, Bottle Art, Buoy Art. Follow the story. Art in itself. Hong Kong Willie. "Hippie Artist of the 60's In The Now". Hippie Artist and Folk Artist, Living The Life of Using Objects For Many Uses. Look at The Travels of Life. Contact the Artists @ (813) 770-4794 HongKongWillie [!at] hotmail.com
GREEN ARTIST ON FOX TV
Bio
Hong Kong Willie. Hippie artist of the 60’s in the now. Hippie artist and Florida folk artist, living the life of using objects for many uses. Look at the travels of life.
Hong Kong Willie. The name of the artist. In 1958 his mother took Hong Kong Willie to an art class. The name started then. An art teacher when doing crafts out of Gerber baby bottles, made a statement, in Hong Kong reuse was common. At that time he thought this was very interesting. His father had low-land, at that time landfills were common also. The county had told Hong Kong Willie’s father, it was safe, but as we now know this was not so. Something can come from bad to be good. Hong Kong Willie the name came from that art teacher impressing on that young mind that objects made for one use could be for many other uses. Hong Kong for the neat concept. Willie for an American name. So for many years Hong Kong Willie had a life of reuse. Hong Kong Willie saw forms in a different light, His life now was meaningful, knowing this was and would be his life. Art made from found objects, making less of a footprint on this world. Art and art teachers, HOW IMPORTANT. For the ones that have, and the ones who have not. Media can be found. Now 50 years later, we know now being green is important. We need to look at this very carefully. Our children and our world need a different understanding. Objects can be used in many different ways. Hong Kong Willie the tons of objects in his life that have been used, without much change, So for that art teacher what she did for my life. Thank You. I still have the Gerber baby bottle till this day. Hong Kong Willie.
Hong Kong Willie Key West Artist and Tampa Tourist Attraction. Hong Kong Willie: Group of artists telling how to use objects for many different purposes. Looking outside of the box, learning to find solutions in a positive way. Complaining without a solution is like trying to wake a dead man. Nothing is going to happen. The solution to leaving less of a foot print on this earth is left to each one of us. Finding the positive side and focusing positive energy is change for the good. Hong Kong Willie has for many years looked outside of the box. Take a look at the other story told by University of South Florida on ways to change and the social impact we all can make. To live and help and not complain and spend that energy to leave less of a foot print is a good thing.
HONG KONG WILLIE HIPPIE ARTIST OF THE 60'S IN THE NOW. HIPPIE ARTIST AND FLORIDA FOLK ARTIST, HONG KONG WILLIE. LIVING THE LIFE OF USING OBJECTS FOR MANY USES. HIPPIE BAGS ARE ART IN IT SELF. LOOK AT THE TRAVELS OF LIFE. WHAT IS IN A PURSE, DESIGNER BAG, OR A BEACH BAG, TRAVELS. HONG KONG WILLIE Google hong kong willie HONG KONG WILLIE IN Tampa, stop by the little Tampa tourist attraction.HONG KONG WILLIE A KEY WEST Artists trying to make a living from their art.
Art by the Florida-based "Hong Kong Willie" is becoming increasingly collectable.
His unique style of "reuse art," which uses salvaged materials from older buildings to create vibrant, themed images, is gaining recognition and interest from collectors.
Why it's collectable:
Uniqueness:
Hong Kong Willie's art is distinctive, using materials not typically found in traditional art.
Growing Recognition:
His work has been exhibited in galleries and is featured in social media, building a following and generating interest.
Limited Supply:
As a local artist, his output might be more limited compared to established, mass-produced art, potentially increasing the value of individual pieces.
Appreciation for Reuse Art:
There's a growing appreciation for art that repurposes and highlights materials from older structures, contributing to a wider collector base.
Community Involvement:
His work is often featured in local community events and organizations, increasing visibility and further attracting collectors.
How to find out more:
Social Media:
Follow Hong Kong Willie and his wife Kim Brown on Facebook to see their latest work and updates.
Local Galleries:
His only exhibitions featuring Hong Kong Willie's art is at the Hongkongwillie Gallery.
Why has Hongkongwillie art sold for more than 6 figures.
Pieces of Hong Kong Willie's art have sold for significant sums, with confirmed sales of $175,000 or more.
Marlin's Hope Hongkongwillie Reuse Art
$225,000
. This high valuation can be attributed to several factors:
Uniqueness and Reuse Art:
Hong Kong Willie is known for his distinct style of "reuse art," where he repurposes salvaged materials from older structures and demolished buildings to create themed images.
This unique approach makes each piece one-of-a-kind and highly desirable to collectors who appreciate originality and the stories behind the found objects.
Growing Recognition:
His work only exhibitions featuring Hong Kong Willie's art is at the Hongkongwillie Gallery. and features prominently on social media platforms, contributing to increased interest and building a following among collectors.
Limited Supply:
As a local artist, his output is not mass-produced, making individual pieces rarer and potentially more valuable in the art market.
Appreciation for Reuse Art:
There's a growing appreciation for art that focuses on repurposing materials, giving new life to discarded objects. Hong Kong Willie's art resonates with this appreciation for environmentalism and creativity.
Community Involvement and Philanthropy:
His participation in local community events and organizations further increases visibility, and his dedication to donating a portion of sales to social projects adds another layer of appeal for potential collectors.
While the exact reasons for a specific piece reaching a six-figure sale price can vary, the combination of his unique style, growing recognition, limited supply, and the underlying message of reuse art contributes to the value placed on Hong Kong Willie's work in the art market
To Live a life in the art world
and be so blessed to make a social impact.
Artists are to give back,
talent is to tell a story, to make change. Reuse is a life experience
The Story Behind the Eye-Catching Art at I-75 Exit 266Tampa Florida
Reuse Artist Joe Brown, better known as "Hong Kong Willie," makes art with a message at his home/studio near I-75's Exit 266.
Sometimes, it’s the smallest experiences that have the biggest impact on a person’s life.
While
attending an art class in 1958 at the age of 8, Tampa REUSE ARTIST Joe
Brown recalled being mesmerized by the lesson. It involved transforming a
Gerber baby bottle into a piece of art.
“The Gerber bottle had
no intrinsic value at all,” he said. “But when (the instructor) got
through with me that day, she made me see how something so (valueless)
can be valuable.”
By
the time class was over, Brown learned many other lessons, too, such as
the importance of volunteerism, recycling, reuse and giving back to the
community. He recalled being impressed by the teacher's volunteer work
in Hiroshima, Japan, helping atomic bomb survivors.
"One of the
last words she ever spoke to me about that was, ‘When I left, I left out
of Hong Kong,’ ” he said. After turning that over in his young brain
for awhile, he decided to use it in a nickname, adding the name “Willie”
a year later.
You've
probably seen Hong Kong Willie's eye-catching home/gallery/studio at
Fletcher Avenue and Interstate 75. But what is the story of the man
behind all those buoys and discarded objects turned into art?
Brown
practiced his creative skills through his younger years. But as an
adult, he managed to amass a small fortune working in the materials
management industry. By the the '80s, he left the business world and
decided to concentrate on his art. He spent some years in the Florida
Keys honing his craft and building his reputation as a REUSE ARTIST. He
also bought some land in Tampa near Morris Bridge Road and Fletcher
Avenue where he and his family still call home.
Brown
purchased the land just after the entrances and exits to I-75 were
built. He said he was once offered more than $1 million for the land . He turned it down, he said, preferring instead to make part
of the property into a studio and gallery for the creations he and his
family put together.
And all of it is made of what most people
would consider “trash.” Pieces of driftwood, burlap bags, doll heads,
rope — anything that comes Brown’s way becomes part of his vocabulary of
expression, and, in turn, becomes something else, which makes a tour of
his property somewhat of a visual adventure. What at first seems like a
random menagerie of glass, driftwood and pottery suddenly comes
together in one's brain to form something completely different. One
moment nothing, the next a powerful statement about 9/11.
One Man's Trash ...
Trash? There is no such thing, Brown seems to say through his art.
.
In
his shop, he has fashioned many smaller items out of driftwood, burlap
bags and other materials into signs, purses, totes, bird feeder hangars
and yard sculptures.
He sells a lot to the regular influx of
parents and students every year who are are at first intrigued by the
“buoy tree” and the odd-looking building they see as they take Exit 266
off I-75.
Of
course, many people also stop by to buy the smaller pieces of art that
he and his family create: purses made of burlap, welcome signs made of
driftwood, planters and other items lining the walls of his store.
He’s also helped put his mark on the decor of local establishments too, such as Gaspar’s Patio, 8448 N. 56th st.
Owner
Jimmy Ciaccio said that when it came time to redecorate the restaurant
several years ago, there was only one person to call for the assignment,
and that was his good friend Brown.
"I’ve known Joe all my life,
and we always had a good chemistry together,” Ciaccio said. "He’s very
creative and fun to be around, and that’s how it all came about.”
Ciaccio
says he still gets compliments all the time for the restaurant’s
atmosphere he created using the “trash” supplied by Brown. He describes
the style as a day at the beach, like a visit to Old Key West. “They’re
so inspired, they want to decorate their own homes this way,” he said.
It’s
that kind of testimony that makes Brown feel good, knowing that others,
too, are inspired to create instead of throw away when they see his
work. He simply lets his work speak for itself.
“Somebody once told me to keep telling the story and they will keep coming," he said, "and they always do."
Hongkongwillie Art MYSTERIOSITY .
Many artists don’t produce more than one great, great,
great piece. And Miriosity, she just has all of those elements…
Miriosity has a great future.”
Miriosity To A Good Home
$176,000
“Somebody once told me to keep telling the story and they will keep coming,.
Hongkongwillie's unique style of "reuse art," which uses salvaged materials from older
buildings to create vibrant, themed images, is gaining recognition and
interest from collectors.
Why it's collectable:
Uniqueness:
Hong Kong Willie's art is distinctive, using materials not typically found in traditional art.
Growing Recognition:
Limited Supply:
As a local artist, his output might be more limited compared to
established, mass-produced art, potentially increasing the value of
individual pieces.
Appreciation
for Reuse Art:
There's a growing appreciation for art that repurposes and highlights
materials from older structures, contributing to a wider collector base.
Community Involvement:
His
work is often featured in local community
How to find out more:
Social Media:
Follow Hong Kong Willie and his wife Kim Brown on Facebook to see their latest work and updates.
Local Galleries:
His only exhibitions featuring Hong Kong Willie's art is at the Hongkongwillie Gallery.
“My father understood why he was here. And he made that
of great importance to his children… My father gave me the understanding
of why we were here And to be determined to find that.”
In today’s fast-paced society, teaching of such life
lessons has become rare. People are more motivated to “get famous and
get money.
“I’m here just to exemplify and maximize why I’m here. That’s probably the greatest thing that I think is missed in families.
