Mario Sanchez (born 1908- died 2005), woodcarver and painter,  ranks as one of the country's leading folk artists and remains the foremost visual chronicler of the history of Key West, Florida's southernmost city.  His oeuvre documents chronologically the story of a community, from the arrival in the 1820s of the first settlers from the Bahamas to the present day

Sanchez was blessed with a near-photographic recall of a racially and culturally diverse microcosm, and his work affirms the dignity of people facing challenges they had to meet and overcome to succeed in their new environment.  His scenes of Key West life are rich in details and leavened with gentle comedy. They are also politically charged, since Sanchez was deeply influenced by democratic ideals, especially those espoused by Jose Marti, a forceful voice for Cuban liberation from Spain and a frequent visitor to Key West prior to the Spanish-American War. The working folk of Mario Sanchez's world, whether rolling cigars in a small factory or dressed in their Sunday best, exemplify the major themes of the artist's life and outlook: an entrepreneurial spirit, racial and religious harmony, and an abiding sense of humor. 

Source:
Information courtesy of Nance Frank, Key West, Florida