Monday

Famous Green Artist .Updated 5 / 4 / 2024


 Artists are to give back, talent is to tell a story, to make change. Reuse is a life experience  .
Art Hong Kong Willie's way  Published in TB2
BY SOHINI LAHIRI
Growing up in Tampa, I spent a period of time fascinated by a quirky, eye-catching landmark at Fletcher Avenue and Interstate 75. This was also the period of time I spent obsessed with making binoculars out of toilet paper rolls and necklaces out of pop tops. To me, this sight was the epitome of similar creative craziness, and I often found myself looking for it during car journeys, hoping it hadn’t disappeared overnight.
But time passes and so does the urge for pop-top necklaces, and observant eyes don’t notice the same sights. It wasn’t until recently that I once again took note of the scene, with its broken down orange helicopter, a tree made of what seems to be indestructible balloons and a blue-and-white house covered with Items remade into art.

It’s the home of Hong Kong Willie, artist of reuse.
I finally paid a visit to this art gallery after many years of wondering about the story behind it. The pavement leading to the door is painted with handprints and splatters, the store edged with upside down Coke bottles. Streams of lobster buoys hang from the roof and also make up the “tree” I marveled at so often from my car window.
Various shoes, bottles, clocks and signs are glued to the side of the store, and there’s a tribute to Sept. 11 off to the side. No one seemed to be home, so I called the number on the “WE’RE OPEN” sign, which brought a middle-aged man in a bright Hawaiian shirt from behind the store.
After a few basic questions, Joe Brown begins to open up about the history surrounding his art.
Brown, better known as Hong Kong Willie, says he was an artist from the start. “Everyone is born an artist,” he said. “However some are granted the gift of being able to express that art.”
As a young boy, his mother decided to send him to art school, which he says changed the course of his life forever.
At the age of 8, Brown recalls being heavily influenced by the lessons, which included transforming a Gerber baby bottle, something with no real value, into a piece of art. His teacher had spent an enormous amount of time and effort in Hiroshima, Japan, helping those affected by the atomic bombs. Brown learned many lessons about recycling from this teacher, who had come from Hong Kong. Brown added an American name, Willie, to Hong Kong for his nickname Hong Kong Willie.
While Brown grew up to be an artist, he left the world of mainstream art to return to his background in technology.
“But on Nov. 13th, 1981 … on a Friday at 1:30 in the afternoon, I had an epiphany,” Brown says. “I was at a friend’s house right across the street,” pausing to point at a row of apartments across from his store, “and a series of events led me to rejoin the art world.”
With the help of two other artists, Brown set up his business in the Florida Keys in the early 1980s, then moved it to Tampa. Together, they believed that they were predestined for the Green Movement, and have been making art out of recyclables for close to 30 years.
How’s business? He smiles. “It’s pretty wild.”
Inside, Hong Kong Willie’s art includes glossy pieces of driftwood restored and painted with beautiful landscapes and kernels of truth, some of the gorgeous work priced in the six figures. But there’s also a wide collection of handmade bags, wooden sculptures and sassy bracelets for more moderate prices.
A portion of the proceeds go to benefit the Green Movement, Brown says.
With a laid-back swagger, Brown continues. “We live pretty minimally. And all the funds we get from donations and our art sales are delegated to green projects.”
I’m not sure what I was expecting when I decided to visit Hong Kong Willie. Certainly not the breathtaking art inside, and definitely not the history behind it. I’m feeling thick-headed for not visiting years ago, and say so.
Brown offers a last bit of insight:
“I’m a big believer in predestination and timing. If someone is not ready to view art, the door is closed. Every piece of art that is made, and every project we do is done for a reason. It doesn’t matter if that reason shows up the next day, or walks in six years later; every piece of art will find a home.”
 

John 3:16 King James Version (KJV)

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

Things To Do In Tampa . Updated 5/16/2023

Famous Tampa Artist



GOOGLE HONG KONG WILLIE

Reuse artist.
Hong Kong Willie.Famous  Reuse Artist. Artist of the 60’s in the now. Acclaimed Famous Florida folk artist, Living the Life of using objects for many uses. Follow the travels of life.

FOX TAMPA BAY 

Things To Do In Tampa



Things To Do In Tampa

Black Bird of Key Largo


Things To Do In Tampa
Black Bird 
of Key Largo
zoom
Black Bird 
of Key Largo Black Bird 
of Key Largo Black Bird 
of Key Largo Black Bird 
of Key Largo Black Bird 
of Key Largo

Description

"Black Bird of Key Largo"

The allurement of the winds blowing in the palm trees and the moon shining through and the "Black Bird of Key Largo" looking upon.
Hong Kong Willie



**HONG KONG WILLIE artist Kim Brown, chose aged Florida sawmill stock as canvas. Recovered Brass Hanger: Key West lobster trap rigging. Originally connects and suspends rigging of spiny lobster traps in Key West waters. Candy-like appearance due to multiple protective layers. Assigned number in artist register by Fisherman ID tag, corresponding burn-etched # rear of piece. Key recovered by Robert Jordan, acclaimed treasure hunter: also in identification of piece and artist.

Dimensions:
24" L
8" W
4" H
Weight: 17+ LB

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 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.
Hong Kong Willie Art Gallery In Tampa, a reuse Art Gallery. Artist Kim,Derek,and Joseph. reuse artist that have lived the life and are meant for the green movement in the world. A gallery that was born for this time. Artist living a freegan life,art that makes a social statement of reuse. Media that has a profound effect in making the word green truly a movement of reuse in the world today and the future.

FAMOUS,

Tampa Art Gallery 

Saturday

Art Galleries in Tampa .Updated 1/1/2022

Art Galleries in Tampa
Reuse artist.
Hong Kong Willie. Artist of the 60’s in the now. Acclaimed Florida folk artist, Living the Life of using objects for many uses. Follow the travels of life.


GOOGLE HONG KONG WILLIE


Art Galleries in Tampa
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 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.
Hong Kong Willie Art Gallery In Tampa, a reuse Art Gallery. Artist Kim,Derek,and Joseph. reuse artist that have lived the life and are meant for the green movement in the world. A gallery that was born for this time. Artist living a freegan life,art that makes a social statement of reuse. Media that has a profound effect in making the word green truly a movement of reuse in the world today and the future.

Black Bird of Key Largo

Black Bird 
of Key Largo
zoom
Black Bird 
of Key Largo Black Bird 
of Key Largo Black Bird 
of Key Largo Black Bird 
of Key Largo Black Bird 
of Key Largo

Description

"Black Bird of Key Largo"

The allurement of the winds blowing in the palm trees and the moon shining through and the "Black Bird of Key Largo" looking upon.
Hong Kong Willie



**HONG KONG WILLIE artist Kim Brown, chose aged Florida sawmill stock as canvas. Recovered Brass Hanger: Key West lobster trap rigging. Originally connects and suspends rigging of spiny lobster traps in Key West waters. Candy-like appearance due to multiple protective layers. Assigned number in artist register by Fisherman ID tag, corresponding burn-etched # rear of piece. Key recovered by Robert Jordan, acclaimed treasure hunter: also in identification of piece and artist.

Dimensions:
24" L
8" W
4" H
Weight: 17+ LB

Tampa Art Gallery

MY FOX TAMPA BAY 

 

Monday

Burlap bags for sack races. Updated 5/16/2023

Sack Race Bags $4.00 each.
Used Burlap Coffee Bags.

The sack race sometimes called ‘potato sack race’ is a competitive game in which participants place both of their legs inside a sack (or pillow case) that reaches their waist or neck.

Then they have to hop forward from a starting point toward a finish line. The first person to cross the finish line is the winner of the sack race!

You remember. You stuck your right leg in a burlap sack and your uncle stuck his left leg in the same sack—together you feverishly hopped toward the glory of the finish line at the family reunion. Well the sack race is back!

There are numerous variations to sack racing rules. Here are just a few suggestions for you—but half of the fun of these games is putting your own spin on the rules! So get out there and be creative!

Individual Sack Race:
To play you need one burlap sack for each individual participant. The more people racing, the more fun it is.

  • Participants will run to the sack, put both feet in and begin hopping toward the finish line.
  • Contestants must keep both feet in sack and at least one hand on the sack at all times.
  • The sack must remain as close to the waist as possible and should not fall below the knees.
  • The first racer to the finish line wins.

Relay Race:
To play you need one burlap sack for each participant or team. The more people racing, the more fun it is.

  • Each player puts both legs into sack and hops around a cone, or some marked point, and back, tagging the next person in line.
  • Then, the next person in line gets into the sack and repeats the once-around the cone course.
  • The first team to the finish line wins.

Note: The relay race can be done with individual participants or two-person teams. The two-person teams can fit both team members in the same sack, or by placing one leg each inside for the “Three-Legged Race.”

Team Sack Race:
To play you need one burlap sack for each team. The more teams racing, the more fun it is.

  • Start with 8 people per team (or an even number); 4 people on each side of the field (or applicable number if starting with less than 8 per team).
  • Start the race on one end and have each person tag the next in the other line. Continue until the team finishes.
  • The first team to the finish line wins.

.

 

Kids seem to put their "all" into these races, so in their excitement to win, we saw lots of falls, so grass is the best place to have your races! 

In addition, you need plenty of space between your racers - so the imaginary lines should be about 4 - 5 feet across so racers do not run into each other.





.

Friday

Tampa Handmade Handbags . Updated 5/1/2023

Handbags Made in Tampa Florida. Famous Reuse Artist Hongkongwillie.



GOOGLE HONG KONG WILLIE


Artist Born for this time, Lived on a landfill as a child in Tampa. Reuse Became the way of life. To read the story from the inception of the Name Hong Kong Willie. 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.
Hong Kong Willie Art Gallery In Tampa, a reuse Art Gallery. Artist Kim,Derek,and Joseph. reuse artist that have lived the life and are meant for the green movement in the world. A gallery that was born for this time. Artist living a freegan life,art that makes a social statement of reuse. Media that has a profound effect in making the word green truly a movement of reuse in the world today and the future.
 Reuse artist.
Hong Kong Willie. Artist of the 60’s in the now. Acclaimed Florida folk artist, Living the Life of using objects for many uses. Follow the travels of life.

Hippie Bag 
Hong Kong Willie
zoom
Hippie Bag 
Hong Kong Willie Hippie Bag 
Hong Kong Willie Hippie Bag 
Hong Kong Willie Hippie Bag 
Hong Kong Willie Hippie Bag 
Hong Kong Willie

Description


Hand Made Bag
Shell: Burlap Coffee Bag
Source: Third Generation Coffee Roaster
Stitching: Recovered Yarn
Handle, Label, Pocket:
Source: Artist Worn Clothing (HKW)
Inner Pocket: 1
Appliques:
Source: Artist Worn Clothing, Coffee Bag Ebmlems Hand-Stitched
Length(Strap to Bottom)-27"
Actual Length-16"
Width-17"
Lining from ex-rocker now artist, currently located in Key West.

FOX News


Handbags

made in Tampa Florida


Handbags made
 in Tampa Florida
zoom
Handbags 
made in Tampa Florida Handbags 
made in Tampa Florida Handbags 
made in Tampa Florida Handbags 
made in Tampa Florida Handbags 
made in Tampa Florida

Description

Hand Made Bag
Shell: Burlap Coffee Bag
Source: Third Generation Coffee Roaster
Stitching: Recovered Yarn
Handle: Baseball Panel
Source: Recovered Game-Used Baseball
Source: Tampa Bay
Handle, Label, Pockets:
Source: Artist Worn Clothing (HKW)
Inner Pockets: 2
Outer Pocket: Tampa Bay Buccaneer (Artist Worn)
Dimensions:
Length(Strap to Bottom)-29"
Actual Length-19"
Width-11"
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 Preservation Art Group

Things to Do in Tampa Florida .Updated 1/1/2022

Information on the Tampa Bay area,Famous Reuse Artist. Small Roadside Trip. Packs a lot of social meaning.
Summer short trip to see some in simple reuse. Artist trying to make a living to GIVE BACK.
Reuse artist.
Hong Kong Willie. Artist of the 60’s in the now. Acclaimed Florida folk artist, Living the Life of using objects for many uses. Follow the travels of life.


GOOGLE HONG KONG WILLIE



MY FOX TAMPA BAY


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 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.
Hong Kong Willie Art Gallery In Tampa, a reuse Art Gallery. Artist Kim,Derek,and Joseph. reuse artist that have lived the life and are meant for the green movement in the world. A gallery that was born for this time. Artist living a freegan life,art that makes a social statement of reuse. Media that has a profound effect in making the word green truly a movement of reuse in the world today and the future.




Hongkongwillie

Preservation Art Group



Recycling as a Lifestyle and a Business
Tampa Art Galleries. Hong Kong Willie Art Gallery
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 Hongkongwillie . 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 Hongkongwillie was born as a location that offers recycling in a different and creative way.

Hongkongwillie  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.

Hongkongwillie  truly believes that a piece, whether it’s a bag or a painted artwork, it’s meant for one person.”
Tampa Art Galleries.Hongkongwillie Art Gallery

Black Bird

of Key Largo


Black Bird of 
Key Largo
zoom

“Black Bird of Key Largo”

The allurement of the winds blowing in the palm trees and the moon shining through and the “Black Bird of Key Largo” looking upon.
Hongkongwillie
**Hongkongwillie artist Kim Brown, chose aged Florida sawmill stock as canvas. Recovered Brass Hanger: Key West lobster trap rigging. Originally connects and suspends rigging of spiny lobster traps in Key West waters. Candy-like appearance due to multiple protective layers. Assigned number in artist register by Fisherman ID tag, corresponding burn-etched # rear of piece. Key recovered by Robert Jordan, acclaimed treasure hunter: also in identification of piece and artist.
*Prior to shipping, final coating will be applied to each piece.
Dimensions:
24″ L
8″ W
4″ H
Weight: 17+ LB

Wednesday

HONG KONG WILLIE .Updated 1/1/2022


GOOGLE HONG KONG WILLIE


Reuse artist.
Hong Kong Willie. Artist of the 60’s in the now. Acclaimed Florida folk artist, Living the Life of using objects for many uses. Follow the travels of life.
MY FOX TAMPA BAY, Tampa Art Galleries


 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 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.
Hong Kong Willie Art Gallery In Tampa, a reuse Art Gallery. Artist Kim,Derek,and Joseph. reuse artist that have lived the life and are meant for the green movement in the world. A gallery that was born for this time. Artist living a freegan life,art that makes a social statement of reuse. Media that has a profound effect in making the word green truly a movement of reuse in the world today and the future.
HONG KONG WILLIE

Tampa Art Gallery

USF 香港威利

 



Hong Kong Willie 

Preservation Art Group


Recycling as a Lifestyle and a Business
Tampa Art Galleries. Hong Kong Willie Art Gallery
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 Hongkongwillie . 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 Hongkongwillie was born as a location that offers recycling in a different and creative way.

Hongkongwillie 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.

Hongkongwillie truly believes that a piece, whether it’s a bag or a painted artwork, it’s meant for one person.”

FOX News Hongkongwillie



Black Bird

of Key Largo

Tampa Art Galleries Hongkongwillie Art Gallery
$98,000.00 USD
Black Bird of Key Largo
zoom

“Black Bird of Key Largo”

The allurement of the winds blowing in the palm trees and the moon shining through and the “Black Bird of Key Largo” looking upon.
Hongkongwillie
**Hongkongwillie artist Kim Brown, chose aged Florida sawmill stock as canvas. Recovered Brass Hanger: Key West lobster trap rigging. Originally connects and suspends rigging of spiny lobster traps in Key West waters. Candy-like appearance due to multiple protective layers. Assigned number in artist register by Fisherman ID tag, corresponding burn-etched # rear of piece. Key recovered by Robert Jordan, acclaimed treasure hunter: also in identification of piece and artist.
*Prior to shipping, final coating will be applied to each piece.
Dimensions:
24″ L
8″ W
4″ H
Weight: 17+ LB

Saturday

Florida Famous Artist .Updated 1/1/2022

Florida Famous Folk Artist.




GOOGLE HONG KONG WILLIE







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.”

Sunday

Roadside Attraction Jim Tunstall Tampa Tribune .Updated 5 / 4 / 2024



GOOGLE HONG KONG WILLIE



Category: Art and Photography

ROADSIDE ATTRACTION

Jim Tunstall TAMPA TRIBUNE




A break with the mainstream led a couple to their own little corner of happiness from another day in time.



" I believe every individual has a purpose. When you start going on your journey to discover yours, you learn some things along the way."

JOE BROWN



Joe Brown loves to express himself.

If you want to see how, take a spin by his place on the southwest corner of Interstate 75 and Fletcher Avenue. His yard is coiffed with a sassy blend of crab-trap buoys, bottle art, fishy wind socks and a dog and two cats that co-exist on a mainly peaceful basis.

Then there's the man. Brown, a page out of the 1960's better side, owns A-24 Hour Bait and Tackle.

On one hand, he's private enough not to want his photograph taken, on the other, he's gregarious enough to talk the ears off anyone interested in fishing. Fact is, this 51-year-old Tampa native is primed to gab about next best to anything on the minds of his visitors, including the way things used to be.

Like in 1983 when he and his wife, Kim, planted roots on this corner and the new Interstate was their only new neighbor.

Before that, Brown had been part of the establishment, but he chucked his mainstream career and spent 3 years on a 700-hundred acre spread across Fletcher, searching for himself.

I was seriously unhappy," he says.

"I left (the job) Nov. 13, 1981. That Date, the moment I left the office, it blazed in my brain, I was 31 and dealing with severe depression."

One day he heard a voice.

"People will tell you you've got serious problems when you hear voices," he says behind a grin. "But this wasn't that kind of experience. It just said, 'Joe, what if it gets better?'"

Well, slowly it did.

He and Kim took an option on the corner that been home to a worm farm for 25 years.

" The worm business was at it's ebb," Brown says.

" I bought it to sell. I had no idea I was going to continue it."

Over the years, neighbors started putting down roots to the west, including apartment complexes and more than a half dozen hotels, such as Extended Stay America and Residence Inn.

The bait and tackle business stayed reasonably strong until the economy went south last year, Brown says, adding that he still carries a full line of rods, reels, cane poles, lures, crickets, shiners, and shrimp.

" But we did a lot a wholesale and we lost 90 percent of that business Sep. 11," he says." " That's dead. It's not coming back."

Fortunately the Browns have branched out.

Last year, they opened a gift shop that sells gator heads, sea shells, stuffed critters, t-shirts, and other trinkets.

Brown also started dabbling in bottle art -- melting everything from vodka to Sprite bottles, reshaping them then letting them cool and harden.

Through the last 20 years, he seems to have learned to be a survivor.

He's also learned his reason for being on this corner.

"I believe every individual has a purpose," he says, turning serious for a moment.

"When you start going on your journey to discover yours, you learn some things along the way. I like working with the public and making them happy. And if you're doing what you want to do, it's a beautiful thing."

Thursday

Things to do in Tampa. Fox News. Updated 5/16/2023

Things to do in Tampa Fox News , My Fox Tampa Bay reports on Tampa Art Galleries. One Tank Trip ,things to do in Tampa.


GOOGLE HONG KONG WILLIE





Tampa Art Gallery,MY FOX TAMPA BAY

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.”