Wednesday

hongkongwillie . Updated 9/21/2025

It all started on a Tampa Landfill.

 

Tampa Artist Born for this Changing Time in Our World.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5DstBzuqGM/



 

   Reuse Became the way of life. 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 


It,(was the dump) that had all this media, and a young enterprising mind. Not enough time to capture it all.

 A short moment of time Hong Kong Willie

The first time i can remember, The Florida Keys. The long road , narrow water on both sides. Beach, not to my understanding. Key West, Duval St, only what tourists see, was my first impression. WOW, that would change

 i received a phone call from Al in Ramrod Key, a Florida Key. A Key that is about 27 miles from Key West. Al: a rocker, drummer, out there kind a guy. Al and i met in a funny way. Al living near some small town in Massachusetts also having this cool place in the Florida Keys.
Artist have this draw to the Keys, Why, Well it took this road to discover. Al now living in Ramrod, calling to tell what had happen in the Isle of Ramrod. Not to mention Cat, oh i forgot, Cat is how i met Al.

Al, someone that, well to say what a friend. Some nights sleeping on his pool table. and not far is No Name Pub, well there you go, pub, by any other name spells trouble. Well contrary to your disbelief, what a place of history. This is where it begins.or When its begins.

This once remote Key, NO NAME KEY,NO NAME PUB, remote, to say the
least, pub , when seeing the place, everything you can believe, and more,
just from the appearance. Now no matter what you have heard second
thoughts still occur.. Its still time turn around, not to night. The
Rainbow Trail by Zane Grey, was spoken here, my first exposure to the
days of Zane Grey, oh I'm getting ahead of myself. No Name Pub, a Zayne
Grey second office in the Keys, later to be one of mine. No Name Pub,
the history, the wild west, well, great writers, why they come here, No
Name Pub. Real artist, Real Treasure hunters, Fisherman, and the trade no
one saw, all came. No one made a big deal who came or left.

It was part of the beginning for the art support. A meeting place for the who's who in the world of the Keys.
Egos left a the door.
Appreciating that you did not get lost in that world .
Artist that had made it and willing to give you support. .
This was a place that I will always remember for the time I sharpen my artist skills..

 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,.

 

“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.

HONG KONG WILLIE ART . Updated 9/21/2025


 

Tampa Artist Born for this Changing Time in Our World.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5DstBzuqGM/



 

   Reuse Became the way of life. 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 


It,(was the dump) that had all this media, and a young enterprising mind. Not enough time to capture it all.

 A short moment of time Hong Kong Willie

The first time i can remember, The Florida Keys. The long road , narrow water on both sides. Beach, not to my understanding. Key West, Duval St, only what tourists see, was my first impression. WOW, that would change

 i received a phone call from Al in Ramrod Key, a Florida Key. A Key that is about 27 miles from Key West. Al: a rocker, drummer, out there kind a guy. Al and i met in a funny way. Al living near some small town in Massachusetts also having this cool place in the Florida Keys.
Artist have this draw to the Keys, Why, Well it took this road to discover. Al now living in Ramrod, calling to tell what had happen in the Isle of Ramrod. Not to mention Cat, oh i forgot, Cat is how i met Al.

Al, someone that, well to say what a friend. Some nights sleeping on his pool table. and not far is No Name Pub, well there you go, pub, by any other name spells trouble. Well contrary to your disbelief, what a place of history. This is where it begins.or When its begins.

This once remote Key, NO NAME KEY,NO NAME PUB, remote, to say the
least, pub , when seeing the place, everything you can believe, and more,
just from the appearance. Now no matter what you have heard second
thoughts still occur.. Its still time turn around, not to night. The
Rainbow Trail by Zane Grey, was spoken here, my first exposure to the
days of Zane Grey, oh I'm getting ahead of myself. No Name Pub, a Zayne
Grey second office in the Keys, later to be one of mine. No Name Pub,
the history, the wild west, well, great writers, why they come here, No
Name Pub. Real artist, Real Treasure hunters, Fisherman, and the trade no
one saw, all came. No one made a big deal who came or left.

It was part of the beginning for the art support. A meeting place for the who's who in the world of the Keys.
Egos left a the door.
Appreciating that you did not get lost in that world .
Artist that had made it and willing to give you support. .
This was a place that I will always remember for the time I sharpen my artist skills..

 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,.

 

“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.

The Castillian . Updated 9/21/2025

HONG KONG WILLIE  The Castillian

After a Long Day



 

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS: PARKED AT SLOPPY JOE'S . Updated 9/21/2025

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS: PARKED AT SLOPPY JOE'S

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS: IT WILL FLOAT

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS: IT WILL FLOAT

Hippie Bags

Hippie Bags


Hippie Bags

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS: Lignumvitae

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS: Lignumvitae

BUOYS FOR SALE Updated 12/15/2024



USED LOBSTER BUOY FOR SALE. Real Key West Lobster Buoys Used By the Fisherman, support reuse green artist.
Key west lobster buoys for sale. call 813 770 4794.
Key West lobster buoy Artist Hong Kong Willie. Reuse Buoys,please support green artist Reuse Buoys.
Buoys for sale"



Buoys pictured are representative



Here you will find numerous authentic lobster buoys from the FLORIDA KEYS . WE obtain buoys in THIER USED condition, we have been supplying buoys for nautical displays to individuals, restaurants, bars, and interior decorators.

History  on Key West Lobster Buoy Artist Hongkongwillie

ART FOR SALE MYSTERIOSITY HONG KONG WILLIE ART

 



$176,000 U.S. Dollars
  Hong Kong Willie Gallery


Key West Lobster Buoy Artist raised on Tampa city dump,like living in the Penthouse in the upper east side.

Blue Marlin Dream of Key West.
$225,000  Hong Kong Willie Art



The Gunn Highway Landfill is located
off Gunn Highway in Tampa, Hillsborough
County, Florida. The county operated the landfill
 as a trench-type facility for the disposal
of MSW from 1958 to 1962.


PBS,Wedu Arts Plus On Key West Lobster Buoy Artist http://video.wedu.org/video/2365012097/


Famed, by the humble statements from 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, to make change. Reuse is a life experience  



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 Hong Kong Willie  Recycling Art Life began.


John 3:16

King James Version (KJV)


 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Google Hongkongwillie

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS: One of the two Ricos

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS: One of the two Ricos

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS: "Hong Kong Willie TAMPA ARTIST

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS: "Hong Kong Willie TAMPA ARTIST

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS: BOOT KEY FLORIDA KEYS

HONG KONG WILLIE ARTS: BOOT KEY FLORIDA KEYS

Hong Kong Willie: HELICOPTER LANDS ON TRUCK

Hong Kong Willie: HELICOPTER LANDS ON TRUCK

Hong Kong Willie: HONG KONG WILLIE ON YOUTUBE

Hong Kong Willie: HONG KONG WILLIE ON YOUTUBE

CHARLEY"S WORLD fox 13

CHARLEY"S WORLD fox 13

CHARLEY"S WORLD fox 13

KEY WEST TREASURE HUNTER BOB JORDAN .UPDATED 4 / 17 / 2024

 BOB JORDAN

Bob Jordan , A great Friend  .

This was a Dive Day. Bob, Pat Jordan, Kim Brown,and Joe Brown .

Wonderful Times with a true Treasure Hunter. Shared a lot of Information that has been beneficial. 





Hong Kong Willie NO NAME PUB FLORIDA KEYS . Updated 9/21/2025

Tampa Artist Born for this Changing Time in Our World.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5DstBzuqGM/

It all started on a Tampa Landfill.


 

   Reuse Became the way of life. 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 


It,(was the dump) that had all this media, and a young enterprising mind. Not enough time to capture it all.

 A short moment of time Hong Kong Willie

The first time i can remember, The Florida Keys. The long road , narrow water on both sides. Beach, not to my understanding. Key West, Duval St, only what tourists see, was my first impression. WOW, that would change

 i received a phone call from Al in Ramrod Key, a Florida Key. A Key that is about 27 miles from Key West. Al: a rocker, drummer, out there kind a guy. Al and i met in a funny way. Al living near some small town in Massachusetts also having this cool place in the Florida Keys.
Artist have this draw to the Keys, Why, Well it took this road to discover. Al now living in Ramrod, calling to tell what had happen in the Isle of Ramrod. Not to mention Cat, oh i forgot, Cat is how i met Al.

Al, someone that, well to say what a friend. Some nights sleeping on his pool table. and not far is No Name Pub, well there you go, pub, by any other name spells trouble. Well contrary to your disbelief, what a place of history. This is where it begins.or When its begins.

This once remote Key, NO NAME KEY,NO NAME PUB, remote, to say the
least, pub , when seeing the place, everything you can believe, and more,
just from the appearance. Now no matter what you have heard second
thoughts still occur.. Its still time turn around, not to night. The
Rainbow Trail by Zane Grey, was spoken here, my first exposure to the
days of Zane Grey, oh I'm getting ahead of myself. No Name Pub, a Zayne
Grey second office in the Keys, later to be one of mine. No Name Pub,
the history, the wild west, well, great writers, why they come here, No
Name Pub. Real artist, Real Treasure hunters, Fisherman, and the trade no
one saw, all came. No one made a big deal who came or left.

It was part of the beginning for the art support. A meeting place for the who's who in the world of the Keys.
Egos left a the door.
Appreciating that you did not get lost in that world .
Artist that had made it and willing to give you support. .
This was a place that I will always remember for the time I sharpen my artist skills..

 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,.

 

“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.

 HONG  KONG  WILLE'S

12212 MORRIS BRIDGE RD

TEMPLE TERRACE FL

Hong Kong Willie: KEY WEST ARTIST

Hong Kong Willie: KEY WEST ARTIST

Hong Kong Willie: CAR IN KEY WEST

Hong Kong Willie: CAR IN KEY WEST

Hong Kong Willie: GREAT TAMPA TOURIST ATTRACTION

Hong Kong Willie: GREAT TAMPA TOURIST ATTRACTION

Hong Kong Willie: Tampa

Hong Kong Willie: Tampa

Kim Brown Key West Artist


Hong Kong Willie USF INTERVIEW


Recycling as a Lifestyle and a Business
By:
Chris Futrell, Florida Focus

TAMPA, Fla. – Have you ever seen the building on the corner of Fletcher and I-75 with a bunch of buoys strung everywhere? This small business that many think is an old bait n’ tackle shop is actually Hong Kong Willie.

Derek Brown, 26, and his family own and operate Hong Kong Willie. The little shop specializes in preservation art. The artists don’t take preservation too lightly either.

“99 percent of everything that has gone into a piece of art has been recycled and reused,” Brown said.

Just as unique as the art is, so is the company’s name. Brown says the name was created by his father, Joe Brown, in the 1950s.

“My father being in an art class, being affected by a teacher, they were melting Gerber baby food bottles," Brown said. "The teacher interjected that Hong Kong had a great reuse and recycling program even then.”

Brown's father then took that concept and later added the Americanized name Willie to the end. And that's how Hong Kong Willie was born as a location that offers recycling in a different and creative way.

Hong Kong Willie artists are what are known as freegans. Freegans are less concerned with materialistic things and more concerned about reducing consumption to lessen the footprint humans leave on this planet.

“I’m sure everyone has their own perception of a freegan, possibly jumping into a dumpster or picking up something on the side of the road,” Brown said. “There [are] people who will have excess. There [are] also things that can be trash to one man, but art or a prize to another man.”

Brown and his family carry this practice through to their art. It’s his family’s way of life, turning trash, which would otherwise fill up landfills, into an art form.

The Brown family gets a lot of their inspiration for their art from the Florida Keys. In fact, this is where the deluge of buoys wrapping around the ‘Buoys Tree’ came from, the fishermen of Key West.

“It is Styrofoam, we understand that it does not degrade, but to blame the fishermen for their livelihood wouldn’t be correct, instead we find a usage for those,” Brown said.

Brown said there’s a usage for everything, even the hooks to hold the painted driftwood, which are also salvaged, to the wall are old bent forks. Everything’s reused here. Purses made out of old coffee bean sacks to “kitschy,” as Brown described it, jewelry made from old baseballs.

“Hong Kong Willie truly believes that a piece, whether it’s a bag or a painted artwork, it’s meant for one person.”
Hong Kong Willie On MY FOX TAMPA BAY

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.

Google: Hong Kong Willie

**University of South Florida Special (Paste In Browser)
www.wusf.usf.edu/SoundSlides/897News/070928_HK_Willie/publish_to_web/index.html

**Latest University of South Florida Special
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbpC9S-gIOo

**FOX News Special (Paste in Browser)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrV3Aj85I84

**Best Place to Buy $1 Kitsch to $10,000 Folk Art Best of the Bay Award 2007

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.

All contributed content © Hong Kong Willie

Hong Kong Willie: KEY WEST ARTIST

Hong Kong Willie: KEY WEST ARTIST

Buoys for sale . Updated 12/15/2024

Buoys FOR SALE. Real Key West Lobster Buoys Used By the Fisherman, support reuse green artist.
Key west lobster buoys for sale. call 813 770 4794. email hongkongwillie@hotmail.com
Key West lobster buoy Artist Hong Kong Willie. Reuse Buoys,please support green artist Reuse Buoys.
Buoys for sale"



Buoys pictured are representative
Hong Kong Willie The Key West Lobster Buoy Artist
Reuse for nautical decoration.



Here you will find numerous authentic lobster buoys from the FLORIDA KEYS . WE obtain buoys in THEIR USED condition, we have been supplying buoys for nautical displays to individuals, restaurants, bars, and interior decorators all over THE WORLD, USING THE INTERNET Google Hong Kong Willie

The Key West Lobster Buoy





Hong Kong Willie: ART TAMPA TOURIST ATTRACTION

Hong Kong Willie: ART TAMPA TOURIST ATTRACTION

KEY WEST ARTIST FOX 13 CHARLIE'S WORLD .UPDATED 4 / 17 / 2024

KEY WEST ARTIST FOX 13 CHARLIE'S WORLD




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.

Google: Hong Kong Willie

**University of South Florida Special (Paste In Browser)
www.wusf.usf.edu/SoundSlides/897News/070928_HK_Willie/publish_to_web/index.html

**Latest University of South Florida Special
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbpC9S-gIOo

**FOX News Special (Paste in Browser)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrV3Aj85I84

**Best Place to Buy $1 Kitsch to $10,000 Folk Art Best of the Bay Award 2007


Hong Kong Willie: STARBUCKS

Hong Kong Willie: STARBUCKS

Hong Kong Willie: ART AND TAMPA ARTIST HONG KONG WILLIE

Hong Kong Willie: ART AND TAMPA ARTIST HONG KONG WILLIE

Hong Kong Willie: TURTLE TAKING A DIVE ON YOU TUBE BY "HONG KONG WILLIE"

Hong Kong Willie: TURTLE TAKING A DIVE ON YOU TUBE BY "HONG KONG WILLIE"

Hong Kong Willie: LITTLE TOURIST ART ATTRACTION IN TAMPA

Hong Kong Willie: LITTLE TOURIST ART ATTRACTION IN TAMPA

Hong Kong Willie: FOX TV CHARLEY'S WORLD TAMPA SAYS FOR SOMETHING TO DO IN TAMPA

Hong Kong Willie: FOX TV CHARLEY'S WORLD TAMPA SAYS FOR SOMETHING TO DO IN TAMPA

Hong Kong Willie: KEY WEST ARTIST HONG KONG WILLIE

Hong Kong Willie: KEY WEST ARTIST HONG KONG WILLIE

Art of Key West . UPDATED 5 / 1 / 2024

Business more than kitsch,
By BRAD STAGER | Tribune correspondent



Business more than kitsch


Passers-by traveling south on Interstate 75 at Fletcher Avenue might wonder: 'What's up with the lobster buoys?'
Strings of the colorful floats adorn Hong Kong Willie, a roadside business with roots in a northwest Hillsborough County landfill and the garbage dumps of Hong Kong.
Poised among chain businesses common at interstate interchanges, Hong Kong Willie sells Florida-centric art, artifacts, worms and even soil for gardeners. As diverse as the inventory seems, there is a theme: promoting a close-to-the-ground, sustainable approach to art and living.
The unusual business is run by Joe Brown, 61; his wife, Kim, 51; and their adult son, Derek.
The enterprise is not named for a particular person. It's more of a conceptual amalgamation, its owners say.
The recycled burlap coffee bags, lobster buoys and driftwood sold at the store are reflective of Joe Brown's childhood. As a boy he watched garbage trucks haul Tampa's trash to a dump on property owned by his family.
"It really made an impression on me," he said. "It became very easy to think outside the box and know where I could find things from resources that were just abounding."
* * * * *
When Brown's mother took him to an art class taught by an instructor who had spent time in post-World War II Asia, he learned how artists there scrounged for materials that had creative potential.
"It was a different kind of recycling because it was done out of need and touched the human spirit and the heart," he said.
During the past 28 years the Browns have transformed a bait-and-tackle shop into a shrine to sustainable art. But aside from a robot waving an American flag and wearing a "For Sale" sign — and the overall spectacle of the shack-like store itself — there is no signage beckoning drivers to pull into the parking lot of 12212 Morris Bridge Road or to wander over from a nearby Bob Evans restaurant.
"There has never been, in all the years of being here, some massive sign saying who we are and what we do," Joe Brown said. "Because when people finally decide out of inquisitiveness to slow down and stop, they've finally slowed down enough to hear the most important message of their life."
Most of their business is conducted online through sites such as Etsy. Their catalog includes crafts and artwork created with recovered material such as wood from sawmills and the sides of demolished Key West homes. Kim Brown paints on the recycled materials; her "Eye of Toucan" painting, for example, is for sale for $8,100. 



Other featured items include handbags made from decorated burlap coffee bean bags for $25, and potato chip platters morphed from heated and shaped vinyl records for $4.99.
The ubiquitous painted lobster buoys are big sellers. They go for a few dollars each depending on condition and artistic application.
The Browns travel frequently to the Florida Keys, promoting their art and gathering raw materials such as the buoys, driftwood and even an orange helicopter. Joe Brown said the chain of islands at Florida's southern tip hold an attraction for the family beyond being a source of creative flotsam.
"That is a place of resourcefulness," he said, "because they're not the kind of people to rely upon the government."
* * * * *
Customers include people with a taste for subtropical creations. Gaspar's Patio Bar and Grille in Temple Terrace, for example, bought décor from Hong Kong Willie to complement its island-themed menu offerings, such as Key Largo burgers and margaritas.
Gaspar's owner Jimmy Ciaccio, whose family opened the 56th Street restaurant in 1960 as the Temple Terrace Lounge, said the Browns' inventory reflected his vision when he remodeled the restaurant.
"Joe's work inspires me," Ciaccio said. "I always see something different every time I look at how he decorated the place."
In much the same way the Brown family creates art with recycled materials, they produce gardening soil by composting vegetation and waste material.
Florida red worms are Brown's natural allies in this endeavor. They, too, are for sale — by the pound for gardeners and by the cup for fishermen.
Whether it's creating and marketing sustainable kitsch or fertile soil, Joe Brown, whose other occupation is providing trend analyses to businesses, finds satisfaction in the work.
"I just feel so fortunate to be able to sit here and see assets that could be sitting in a big trench and there would be no energy coming from it," he said. "And now a lot of it is finding homes in peoples' houses and businesses and getting people to think about reuse."

Hong Kong Willie: HONG KONG WILLIE KEY WEST ARTIST

Hong Kong Willie: HONG KONG WILLIE KEY WEST ARTIST

Hong Kong Willie: TRUCK

Hong Kong Willie: TRUCK

Hong Kong Willie: ATTRACTION IN TAMPA DRAWS TOURIST

Hong Kong Willie: ATTRACTION IN TAMPA DRAWS TOURIST

Hong Kong Willie: TV STATION IN TAMPA FOX 13

Hong Kong Willie: TV STATION IN TAMPA FOX 13

Hong Kong Willie: ART CAR IN TAMPA

Hong Kong Willie: ART CAR IN TAMPA

Hong Kong Willie: KEY WEST ARTIST AND TAMPA TOURIST

Hong Kong Willie: KEY WEST ARTIST AND TAMPA TOURIST

BUOYS, FLOATS FOR SALE . Updated 12/15/2024

BUOYS, FLOATS FOR SALE
USED LOBSTER BUOY FOR SALE. Real Key West Lobster Buoys Used By the Fisherman, support reuse green artist.
Key west lobster buoys for sale. call 813 770 4794. email hongkongwillie@hotmail.com
Key West lobster buoy Artist Hong Kong Willie. Reuse Buoys,please support green artist Reuse Buoys.
Buoys for sale"

Look for Hong Kong Willie on YAHOO.
Buoys pictured are representative
Hong Kong Willie The Key West Lobster Buoy Artist
Reuse for nautical decoration.




BUOYS FOR SALE LOBSTER USED LOBSTER BUOY FOR SALE

The Buoy Artist Hong Kong Willie.






View Larger Map


BUOYS FOR SALE CALL813 770 4794 ASK FOR JOE THANK YOU "WE STOCK THOUSANDS" ALL FROM THE FLORIDA KEYS
FROM KEY WEST LOBSTER BUOY ,KEY WEST CRAB FLOATS,KEY WEST LOBSTER FLOATS,AND KEY WEST CRAB BUOYS. BUOYS AND FLOATS FOR SALE.USED LOBSTER BUOYs FOR SALE



Here you will find numerous authentic lobster buoys from the FLORIDA KEYS . WE obtain buoys in THIER USED condition, we have been supplying buoys for nautical displays to individuals, restaurants, bars, and interior decorators all over THE WORLD, USING THE INTERNET Google Hong Kong Willie

The Key West Lobster Buoy Artist







Support Green Artist

google hong kong willie


A Reason for Being Green, LIVING

green Art Tampa


Hong Kong Willie: STOCK ISLAND KEY WEST

Hong Kong Willie: STOCK ISLAND KEY WEST

Hong Kong Willie: DUVAL ST KEY WEST

Hong Kong Willie: DUVAL ST KEY WEST

Key West Artist .UPDATED 4 / 17 / 2024





 History Of Other Articles On Hongkongwillie




Business more than kitsch,
By BRAD STAGER | Tribune correspondent




Business more than kitsch

Passers-by traveling south on Interstate 75 at Fletcher Avenue might wonder: 'What's up with the lobster buoys?'
Strings of the colorful floats adorn Hong Kong Willie, a roadside business with roots in a northwest Hillsborough County landfill and the garbage dumps of Hong Kong.
Poised among chain businesses common at interstate interchanges, Hong Kong Willie sells Florida-centric art, artifacts, worms and even soil for gardeners. As diverse as the inventory seems, there is a theme: promoting a close-to-the-ground, sustainable approach to art and living.
The unusual business is run by Joe Brown, 61; his wife, Kim, 51; and their adult son, Derek.
The enterprise is not named for a particular person. It's more of a conceptual amalgamation, its owners say.
The recycled burlap coffee bags, lobster buoys and driftwood sold at the store are reflective of Joe Brown's childhood. As a boy he watched garbage trucks haul Tampa's trash to a dump on property owned by his family.
"It really made an impression on me," he said. "It became very easy to think outside the box and know where I could find things from resources that were just abounding."
* * * * *
When Brown's mother took him to an art class taught by an instructor who had spent time in post-World War II Asia, he learned how artists there scrounged for materials that had creative potential.
"It was a different kind of recycling because it was done out of need and touched the human spirit and the heart," he said.
During the past 28 years the Browns have transformed a bait-and-tackle shop into a shrine to sustainable art. But aside from a robot waving an American flag and wearing a "For Sale" sign — and the overall spectacle of the shack-like store itself — there is no signage beckoning drivers to pull into the parking lot of 12212 Morris Bridge Road or to wander over from a nearby Bob Evans restaurant.
"There has never been, in all the years of being here, some massive sign saying who we are and what we do," Joe Brown said. "Because when people finally decide out of inquisitiveness to slow down and stop, they've finally slowed down enough to hear the most important message of their life."
Most of their business is conducted online through sites such as Etsy. Their catalog includes crafts and artwork created with recovered material such as wood from sawmills and the sides of demolished Key West homes. Kim Brown paints on the recycled materials; her "Eye of Toucan" painting, for example, is for sale for $8,100. Other featured items include handbags made from decorated burlap coffee bean bags for $25, and potato chip platters morphed from heated and shaped vinyl records for $4.99.
The ubiquitous painted lobster buoys are big sellers. They go for a few dollars each depending on condition and artistic application.
The Browns travel frequently to the Florida Keys, promoting their art and gathering raw materials such as the buoys, driftwood and even an orange helicopter. Joe Brown said the chain of islands at Florida's southern tip hold an attraction for the family beyond being a source of creative flotsam.
"That is a place of resourcefulness," he said, "because they're not the kind of people to rely upon the government."
* * * * *
Customers include people with a taste for subtropical creations. Gaspar's Patio Bar and Grille in Temple Terrace, for example, bought décor from Hong Kong Willie to complement its island-themed menu offerings, such as Key Largo burgers and margaritas.
Gaspar's owner Jimmy Ciaccio, whose family opened the 56th Street restaurant in 1960 as the Temple Terrace Lounge, said the Browns' inventory reflected his vision when he remodeled the restaurant.
"Joe's work inspires me," Ciaccio said. "I always see something different every time I look at how he decorated the place."
In much the same way the Brown family creates art with recycled materials, they produce gardening soil by composting vegetation and waste material.
Florida red worms are Brown's natural allies in this endeavor. They, too, are for sale — by the pound for gardeners and by the cup for fishermen.
Whether it's creating and marketing sustainable kitsch or fertile soil, Joe Brown, whose other occupation is providing trend analyses to businesses, finds satisfaction in the work.
"I just feel so fortunate to be able to sit here and see assets that could be sitting in a big trench and there would be no energy coming from it," he said. "And now a lot of it is finding homes in peoples' houses and businesses and getting people to think about reuse."




The Ybor City Stogie
 

ARTIST AND ART MADE IN KEY WEST .Updated 11/17/2025

 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.

 


 


. 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 has been exhibited in galleries 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

 

 

Hong Kong Willie: KEY LARGO, ARTIST

Hong Kong Willie: KEY LARGO, ARTIST

NO NAME PUB NO NAME KEY FLORIDA KEYS . Updated 12/12/2024

Tampa Artist Born for this Changing Time in Our World.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5DstBzuqGM/

It all started on a Tampa Landfill.


 

   Reuse Became the way of life. 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 


It,(was the dump) that had all this media, and a young enterprising mind. Not enough time to capture it all.

 A short moment of time Hong Kong Willie

The first time i can remember, The Florida Keys. The long road , narrow water on both sides. Beach, not to my understanding. Key West, Duval St, only what tourists see, was my first impression. WOW, that would change

 i received a phone call from Al in Ramrod Key, a Florida Key. A Key that is about 27 miles from Key West. Al: a rocker, drummer, out there kind a guy. Al and i met in a funny way. Al living near some small town in Massachusetts also having this cool place in the Florida Keys.
Artist have this draw to the Keys, Why, Well it took this road to discover. Al now living in Ramrod, calling to tell what had happen in the Isle of Ramrod. Not to mention Cat, oh i forgot, Cat is how i met Al.

Al, someone that, well to say what a friend. Some nights sleeping on his pool table. and not far is No Name Pub, well there you go, pub, by any other name spells trouble. Well contrary to your disbelief, what a place of history. This is where it begins.or When its begins.

This once remote Key, NO NAME KEY,NO NAME PUB, remote, to say the
least, pub , when seeing the place, everything you can believe, and more,
just from the appearance. Now no matter what you have heard second
thoughts still occur.. Its still time turn around, not to night. The
Rainbow Trail by Zane Grey, was spoken here, my first exposure to the
days of Zane Grey, oh I'm getting ahead of myself. No Name Pub, a Zayne
Grey second office in the Keys, later to be one of mine. No Name Pub,
the history, the wild west, well, great writers, why they come here, No
Name Pub. Real artist, Real Treasure hunters, Fisherman, and the trade no
one saw, all came. No one made a big deal who came or left.

It was part of the beginning for the art support. A meeting place for the who's who in the world of the Keys.
Egos left a the door.
Appreciating that you did not get lost in that world .
Artist that had made it and willing to give you support. .
This was a place that I will always remember for the time I sharpen my artist skills..

 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,.

 

“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.

 HONG  KONG  WILLE'S

12212 MORRIS BRIDGE RD

TEMPLE TERRACE FL