Here in Key West, July’s annual Hemingway Days Celebration is always a pretty big deal. Events happen all over town, including a Hemingway Look-Alike Contest, the “Running of the Bulls,” a Sport-fishing Tournament, and more.
But if you’re looking for something, say, a little more ”heady,” this one’s for you. Depicting Hemingway: Guy Harvey Sketches ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ features 59 original pen-and-ink drawings by Guy Harvey, which are now on display at Key West’s Custom House Museum.
Widely recognized as one of the world’s finest marine wildlife artists, Harvey is renowned for combining his unique artistic talents with his background as a marine biologist, diver, photographer, and angler. His artistic roots trace back to his island childhood in Jamaica, where he grew up fishing and diving. Later, while attending a boarding school in England, Harvey became captivated by Ernest Hemingway’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “The Old Man and the Sea,” which inspired him to create this series of sketches.
Illustrating Hemingway’s gripping tale about a fisherman’s epic battle with a marlin, these sketches subsequently helped launch Harvey’s career as an artist and are a timeless tribute to Hemingway’s classic novel. 
In addition to Harvey’s sketches, you’ll also get to see a number of artifacts belonging to the Museum’s Hemingway Collection. Most noteworthy is the life-sized bronze ‘Ernest Hemingway in Key West’ statue by historical sculptor Terry Jones. Other objects include a 1930s-era painting entitled “Hemingway and Friends,” depicting the author at his favorite watering hole, Sloppy Joe’s, and a pair of Hemingway’s boxing gloves.
You can see this intriguing exhibit Monday – Sunday from10am – 5pm at the Custom House Museum, 281 Front St, Key West. 305-295-6616; kwahs.org.
Come to Papa!
