Vermicasting (Vermicomposting),Worm Castings,Worm Casting .Updated 3 /22 /2024

Worm Castings(Vermicast) . It takes Years to build true Worm Castings,not a month. Our Worm Castings take 5 years. It is critical what is used in the process. No GMO GRAINS,NO NEWS PAPER,NO CARDBOARD.NO SOURCE THAT HAS Pesticides,Herbicides,or fungicide. NO MANURE FROM ANY SOURCE THAT USE ANY COMMERCIAL FEED,NO HORSE STABLE MANURE ,FOR THEY USE MEDICATION IN WORMING THE HORSES,(WITH ALMOST 99% DO).

WHY NOT TO USE CARDBOARD


 GOOGLE CARDBOARD DANGERS

WHY NOT TO USE NEWS PAPER
NEWS PAPER HAS SOY BEAN INK, THE SOY BEANS ARE SPRAYED WITH ROUND UP

Why Use Florida Red Wigglers Castings?
They Will  Not eat your roots of your Plants

 

INVASIVE RED WIGGLERS WILL EAT YOUR ROOTS OF YOUR PLANTS INVASIVE WORMS ARE 
Eisenia foetida, or"European Night crawlers and African Night Crawers."are non native 

With the exception of water and sunlight, nothing could be more natural for your garden than earthworm castings. Not steer manure, not chicken manure, not even fish emulsion is as natural for your garden as earthworm castings! After all, when digging in your garden have you ever found a live cow, chicken, or fish? No, what you do find are live worms. Mother Nature created the mighty worm about 570 million years ago to care for her plant life by caring for the soil. As the earthworm eats its way through the soil, it takes in bits of soil and rotting or decaying plants (organic matter).
And what comes out is the richest food your plants will ever find, yet will not burn a plant! Earthworms have the unique ability to increase the amount of nutrients and minerals in the soil by as much as 10 times the value of the plant debris there. These minerals and nutrients are properly conditioned for the best root growth and lush plant growth – plus it’s odor free!
Why Plant Growers Use Worm Casting .
 
One of the biggest challenges We face is trying to identify the perfect plant food. While it's often been overlooked, because it's somewhat difficult to find, worm castings are proving to be the ideal soil supplement .
Many Gardeners have found that it shortens the germination cycle for new plants, increases yield on their crop overall, and does it all while protecting the plants from disease. As if that wasn't enough, worm castings are also chemical-free. This makes it an especially attractive option for organic growers, specifically. 

 


 Composted  by Florida Red Wigglers.
Worm Castings. $45.00 for a 5 gallon Bucket approx 35 lbs. ..Call 813 770 4794      
Worm Castings.



No material that has not been exposed to pesticides,herbicides,fertilizers,growth Hormones,and animal medications . What you put in is what you get out. We do not feed grains that have been GMO. No newspaper it has soy bean Ink that has Round up,  and NO cardboard  It Has dangerous items, Google cardboard dangers  .Certain materials contain chemicals that do not break down. Grass clipping, shrubbery, and manures are of great concern. Certain Grains are genetically design to spray the crops with Roundup. It is important with composting with a Native Red Worm to Florida. We have found in 51 years of composting that toxins build up if you compost with contaminated material. Grains ,Lawn clippings,vegetable mater from commercial growing operations or Lawns carry excessive amounts of Pesticides,Herbicides which in turn kill the composting Worms.We find that manure from large dairy farms could have antibiotics or growth hormones. When obtaining any compost from animal manure such as cows ,horses, rabbits remember most people medicate and this comes out in the manure. It important to get live microbes when buying worm castings The amount of moisture is very important. Dry worm castings  has less microbes.

Raw Honey For Sale Tampa .Updated 3 /22 /2024

Exceptional  Raw  Honey sold in Tampa

Pint Mason Jars of Our Local  Raw  Honey is $17.50
Quart Mason Jars of Our Local Raw  Honey is $29.50
1/2 Gallon Mason Jars of Our Local Raw  Honey is $48.00
1 Gallon of Our Local Raw  Honey is $80.00

Local Raw  Honey ,sold in Tampa Florida
Wild Flower  Exceptional  Raw  Honey Wild flower honey is made by bees that have collected nectar from a local source of wildflowers. The taste and composition of wildflower honey can vary depending upon the variety of flowers in bloom at the time the honey is made. The potential health benefits of Raw Wild Flower Honey are many due to its nutrient rich content and anti-microbial properties.

Wildflower Honey Basics

Bees collect nectar, which contains carbohydrates, from flowers and take it back to their hive. The nectar is partially digested into more simple sugars and stored in the honeycomb inside the hive. Eventually it loses moisture and condenses into thick, sweet honey. The type of flowers the nectar came from influences the color and flavor of the resulting honey.If the bees use a variety of flowers found in nature, the honey is simply referred to as wildflower honey.

Some naturalists feel that honey made from the nectar of local wildflowers can relieve you of seasonal allergies. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that local honey is often eaten by allergy sufferers -- with the belief that it boosts the immune system and acts much like an immunization by building up your body’s antibodies to allergens and pollen. Wild Flower Honey is not one plant specific.                                                                                                      .                              Sold By Hongkongwillie. Our Family roots have been in the business for over 3 generations. 12212 Morris Bridge Rd Tampa, FL 33637                                                                                                                                                 Hours
Mon Closed
Tue 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thu 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Fri 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sun Closed                                                                           CALL 813 770 4794

.

Raw Honey for sale+Tampa .Updated 3 /22 /2024

Raw Honey for sale+Tampa,Unfiltered Raw Honey Sold in Tampa

Tampa Gold Wild Flower Raw Honey is  a bold honey. It is more popular choice than light color honeys. Well-known for their strong medicinal properties, these honeys are highly prized and sought after as natural alternative remedies for synthetic drugs in treating a myriad of health conditions and ailments such as cough, flu, infections, skin problems, and poor immunity.  

  Some naturalists feel that honey made from the nectar of local wildflowers can relieve you of seasonal allergies. Reports that local honey is often eaten by allergy sufferers -- with the belief that it boosts the immune system and acts much like an immunization by building up your body’s antibodies to allergens and pollen. Wild Flower Honey is not one plant specific.

Pint Mason Jars of Our Local  Raw  Honey is $17.50
Quart Mason Jars of Our Local Raw  Honey is $29.50
1/2 Gallon Mason Jars of Our Local Raw  Honey is $48.00
1 Gallon of Our Local Raw  Honey is $80.00

 

 Local Wild Flower Raw Exceptional Honey 
 Bee Hives Are with in 3 miles of Our Store. Wild flower honey is made by bees that have collected nectar from a local source of wildflowers. The taste and composition of wildflower honey can vary depending upon the variety of flowers in bloom at the time the honey is made. The potential health benefits of Raw Wild Flower Honey are many due to its nutrient rich content and anti-microbial properties.

Wildflower Honey Basics

Bees collect nectar, which contains carbohydrates, from flowers and take it back to their hive. The nectar is partially digested into more simple sugars and stored in the honeycomb inside the hive. Eventually it loses moisture and condenses into thick, sweet honey. The type of flowers the nectar came from influences the color and flavor of the resulting honey.If the bees use a variety of flowers found in nature, the honey is simply referred to as wildflower honey.

Some naturalists feel that honey made from the nectar of local wildflowers can relieve you of seasonal allergies. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that local honey is often eaten by allergy sufferers -- with the belief that it boosts the immune system and acts much like an immunization by building up your body’s antibodies to allergens and pollen. Wild Flower Honey is not one plant specific.                                                                                                                                                 Sold By Hongkongwillie. Our Family roots have been in the business for over 3 generations. 12212 Morris Bridge Rd Tampa, FL 33637                                                                                                                                                 Hours
Mon Closed
Tue 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thu 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Fri 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sun Closed                                                                           CALL 813 770 4794

.

Honey Sold in Tampa,Unfiltered Raw Honey .Updated 3 /22 /2024

Honey Sold in Tampa,Unfiltered Raw Honey 
 

Tampa Gold Wild Flower Raw Honey is  a bold honey. It is more popular choice than PROCESSED Honeys.  Raw Honey Well-known for their strong medicinal properties, these honeys are highly prized and sought after as natural alternative remedies for synthetic drugs in treating a myriad of health conditions and ailments such as cough, flu, infections, skin problems, and poor immunity.  

  Some naturalists feel that honey made from the nectar of local wildflowers can relieve you of seasonal allergies. Reports that local honey is often eaten by allergy sufferers -- with the belief that it boosts the immune system and acts much like an immunization by building up your body’s antibodies to allergens and pollen. Wild Flower Honey is not one plant specific.

  Pint Mason Jars of Our Local  Raw  Honey is $17.50
Quart Mason Jars of Our Local Raw  Honey is $29.50
1/2 Gallon Mason Jars of Our Local Raw  Honey is $48.00
1 Gallon of Our Local Raw  Honey is $80.00.

  Wild flower honey is made by bees that have collected nectar from a local source of wildflowers. The taste and composition of wildflower honey can vary depending upon the variety of flowers in bloom at the time the honey is made. The potential health benefits of Raw Wild Flower Honey are many due to its nutrient rich content and anti-microbial properties.

Wildflower Honey Basics

Bees collect nectar, which contains carbohydrates, from flowers and take it back to their hive. The nectar is partially digested into more simple sugars and stored in the honeycomb inside the hive. Eventually it loses moisture and condenses into thick, sweet honey. The type of flowers the nectar came from influences the color and flavor of the resulting honey.If the bees use a variety of flowers found in nature, the honey is simply referred to as wildflower honey.

Some naturalists feel that honey made from the nectar of local wildflowers can relieve you of seasonal allergies. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that local honey is often eaten by allergy sufferers -- with the belief that it boosts the immune system and acts much like an immunization by building up your body’s antibodies to allergens and pollen. Wild Flower Honey is not one plant specific.                                                                                                      Our Wild Flower Raw Honey is  a bold honey. It is more popular choice than It is more popular choice than PROCESSED Honeys In general, Raw honeys have higher mineral contents (e.g. potassium, manganese, iron, sodium, etc.) than lighter ones (Czech Journal Food Science, 2015; . Also, Raw Honeya have the phenolic and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant levels, which are critical in counteracting free radicals responsible for triggering the aging process and diseases such as cancer, hypertension and high blood cholesterol and diabetes (General Medicine, 2014; Food Chem. 2007).Well-known for their strong medicinal properties, these honeys are highly prized and sought after as natural alternative remedies for synthetic drugs in treating a myriad of health conditions and ailments such as cough, flu, infections, skin problems, and poor immunity.                                                                                    Sold By Hongkongwillie. Our Family roots have been in the business for over 3 generations. 12212 Morris Bridge Rd Tampa, FL 33637                                                                                                                                                 Hours
Mon
10:00 am - 6:00 pm

  Tue 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thu 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Fri 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sun Closed                                                                          

Drift Wood Sold in Tampa. Updated 5/16/2023

PREMIUM DRIFT WOOD. TRUE DRIFT WOOD. NOT SWAMP WOOD

WE HAVE OVER 300 PIECES OF premium drift WOOD

CAN BE USED IN MOST IN MOST APPLICATIONS

Floral designs , Arts and Crafts,

Driftwood can become a base for your dining, coffee or console table, it can be used to build a shelving unit, some racks, clothes and jewelry holders and hangers and even benches, sofas and chairs.

Ideas to use driftwood in home 

Using driftwood for decor is a brilliant idea because it’s not only beautiful but also eco-friendly because you use reclaimed old wood for creation of new and amazing designs.

 a-lamp-with-driftwood-on-top-is-a-stylish-idea-for-a-coastal-space-this-is-a-very-fast-craft



 Driftwood items don’t always mean that a coastal or beach touch, they can look fantastically rustic. 

 Hat Rack of coat rack  ideas-to-use-driftwood-in-home-decor
There are many cool creations by designers – driftwood tables, lamps, stools and coat racks – but you can also make various easy driftwood décor items yourself. 

For example, a driftwood jewelry hanger, candle holder, wall shelf or photo display. Driftwood is also very cool for table décor – for centerpieces, place mats and table garlands. Enjoy the lovely pictures below and get inspired!

Sold by Hongkongwillie 

 

 

 

OUR ADDRESS IS 12212 MORRISBRIDGE ROAD TAMPA FLORIDA 33637

Look for us at Interstate 75 and Fletcher,  exit 266 Tampa Florida Call us at 813 770 4794
 Directions to Hongkongwillie
I-75 Exit 266, west on County Rd 579 to first left (Hidden River Pkway) then left onto Morris Bridge Rd. Look for the homemade conical tower and assorted surfboards.
12212 Morris Bridge Rd
Tampa, FL 33637

Hours
Mon 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Tue 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thu 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Fri 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Closed on Sunday

Artist Born for this Time. Exploring the Recycled World of Art . Updated 5/16/2023

You know you have seen it. Whether you know it as “the Christmas tree” or the “art station,” Hong Kong Willie’s is a spectacular, unique sight.

Seated in the corner of Morris Bridge and I-75, Hong Kong Willie’s is a gallery where many unique pieces of art are displayed and sold.

Always seeing this place on our way to school, former Editor-in-Chief Pankti Mehta and I had wondered about it for a long time. At the beginning of this summer, we decided to go there and find out.

As we walked into the blue shack, we were greeted by a friendly face. Wearing a blue Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts, and with his hair pulled back into a ponytail, Joe Brown, or more commonly known as Hong Kong Willie, welcomed us and shared with us the story of his life.

Hong Kong Willie is an artist who finds the meaning in what others would deem as “junk” items. His journey began in his childhood when he collected discarded items from the landfill where he lived and sold them.

“By the time I was eight years old, I was walking around with hundreds of dollars in my pockets,” Brown said.

He had never thought he would enter the realm of art, but his mother knew otherwise. She was the one who made him to go to art school.

“My mother believed that if you were born to do something, you were to do that,” he said.

At art school, he met the person who would inspire his nickname. His art teacher explained the importance and meaning behind insignificant, common items to her students. She had gone to Hiroshima shortly after the atomic bomb had been dropped, and then had left out of Hong Kong. Her inspirational story was the reason Brown nicknamed himself Hong Kong Willie.

When he was in college, the technological industry was booming, with many new innovations coming out in different areas of society. Brown decided to step into it. However, after being in the technological industry for a while, Brown went through a realization:

“I just wasn’t made up for that.”

Knowing that the technological world was filled with greed, Brown decided to step out of it in 1981. He knew that his life’s calling was to be artist, and he was going to be just that.

“We are here to tell a story … to take common items that are not manufactured media that have a meaning.”

He set up his station first in the Florida Keys, but then moved to Tampa, where he has now been living for 37 years.

A firm believer in predestination, Brown explains that he got these beliefs from his father.

“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,” as Brown put it.

“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 also explained one of his special pieces to us, which was called Miriosity. Shaped like a bird, Brown used the embedded frailties within the wood to bring out the meaning in the piece.

“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.”

Hong Kong Willie has supporters who come into his gallery and buy many of his pieces. With the money that he makes, he gives back a large portion to various social projects. His art is not just a business, and he makes that very clear.

“You can only buy a piece of art if you have fallen in love with it,” he said. He recalled a time when he turned down a buyer from buying some of his works because he knew the reason for buying those works was not genuine.

Hong Kong Willie keeps the presence of art alive in today’s society. Wherever his art goes, a piece of him will forever be with each piece. We are very grateful for his time and his dedication to his work.

Visit Hong Kong Willie’s blog here: https://thingstodointampa.blogspot.com/2010/12/things-to-do-in-tampa.html

Famous Florida Artist .Updated 1/1/2022

Have you ever seen the building on the corner of Fletcher and 75 exit 266 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, a Famous Florida Artist
 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, Famous Florida Artist .
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.”
 
Famous Florida Artist, BELIEVING IN PRESERVATION ART. THE WORLD RECORD BUOY TREE, MADE FROM KEY WEST LOBSTER BUOYS, SHOW THEIR COMMITMENT TO PRESERVATION. LOCATED ON I-75 EXIT 266 IN TAMPA.

 Located off East Fletcher Road between hotel chains and high-end office parks is the gift shop and folk art gallery Hong Kong Willie's.Drive south on I-75, look to the right around East Fletcher Avenue, and you can't miss it. The tree appears first, hundreds of buoys wrapped around its branches, resembling a sort of Dr. Seuss-ian Christmas ornament. Then the rest of the 20,000 buoys come into view -- thousands of strands of the multicolored foam balls stretching from the tree to two wooden shacks, hanging from their roofs and walls, and stretched out over the property.

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.

WLRN PBS Famous Florida Artist . updated 1/1/2024

.
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 trash remade into art.
It’s the home of Famous  Florida Artist Hong Kong Willie.
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.”

 

.

 

W LRN PBS STATION out of Miami ,Hongkongwillie  Famous Florida Artist

American Famous Artist . updated 1/1/2024

MY FOX TAMPA BAY, American Famous Artist

Art Hong Kong Willie's way. Things To Do In Tampa

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 trash 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.”

ART FOR SALE MYSTERIOSITY 
Famous American Artist, HONG KONG WILLIE

 



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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.

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