7 Artists & Friends — Attraction in Key West

I have visited this gallery many times with family to appreciate the variety of art they have for sale. However, my wife and I were essentially insulted and treated rudely when inquiring about two pieces we’d had our eyes on for a while. To be as transparent as possible, I will paraphrase the whole visit:

We enter and are greeted while being asked where we are from, where we are staying, and if there was an artist that brought us back.

We are told it’s the summer and slow, so they are willing to move on price and we shouldn’t be scared off by the price on the stickers.

We pick the two pieces we want, the woman working gets info to calculate shipping, and tells us we can even get the “locals discount”.

I state I’d still like to work on the price a bit, and she asks if we are looking for a particular price, like buy one get one? I reply that that(BOGO) is likely around the price we would need to be around plus shipping.

Instead of defending the asking price or further negotiating, I am then told the following:

these same pieces go for $2000 on Duval(in reference to originals, not the prints they carry), when they have them priced at $300 each. (For clarity, these are the “Nice Hat” pieces of which they have multiple copies) they are just a ma and pa shop they, the artist, and the framer wouldn’t be able to make anything at that price She is sorry that we just aren’t that interested in the pieces She says maybe next year they will be more attainable for us She says that perhaps we should skip a nice meal, go get a happy hour special at Two Friends to save money, or even go get a piece of pizza so that we might be able to afford these pieces She states that we are staying at a nice hotel and that we certainly did not negotiate with them

Following this barrage of bizarre and borderline insulting suggestions, I begin to leave but kindly take a card at her behest.

I won’t proceed to bash this place, but I will simply state that I’d rather pay the $2000 on Duval if it means my wife and I will be treated...

Just a gem! This applies to the store, the art, the jewelry, the owner, and the dapper Toochie. 7 Artists & Friends is an oasis of calm after the atmosphere on Duval. The owner Jennifer is so kind and helpful. She gave us great insights into the various artworks and their creators, spent time helping me narrow down to the piece that had to be mine, and also gave us a fabulous tip about Cafe Sole for supper, which was excellent. More than that, though, she's just a bright and lovely soul. We had a wonderful meandering conversation, and we got in lots of good scritches with Toochie and were rewarded with many kisses. I'm thrilled with the Andreas Franke piece we bought, as well as the small piece of local photography, and the gorgeous necklace (handmade by Jennifer herself), but the whole visit was just a bright spot in our trip and a wonderful experience. A must-visit location for great art, excellent tips from a local expert, getting in some pup love, and walking away feeling like you've made a new friend. We'll absolutely be back when next we're...

Strolling down the sidewalk in Key West, we were captivated by the vibrant artwork on display, particularly a piece by the incredibly talented artist Rafael Medina. It practically called us into 7 Artists & Friends Gallery, and we’re so glad it did!

The gallery itself is a treasure trove of stunning, diverse pieces, each with its own story. Jennifer, the owner, was absolutely fantastic. Her passion for the art and her warm, welcoming demeanor made the experience unforgettable. She took the time to share details about the artists and the inspiration behind the works, which made our purchase even more meaningful.

We left with an amazing Rafael Medina piece that we’ll cherish forever. If you’re in Key West, don’t miss this gem...