In La Crosse, Wisconsin, there’s a long-retired candy factory that is now one of the most unique hotels in the area, The Charmant Hotel. Turning this factory into a stylish hotel was an undertaking that required smoothing its rough industrial edges while preserving the history that sets it apart. As architects and designers focused on the big picture: the layout and feel of the rooms, the art consultants at Kevin Barry Art Advisory (KBAA) were brought in to curate an art collection that would connect hotel guests to the factory’s past.
The Charmant Hotel, La Crosse WI
We see art every day, and whether it’s clear in the moment or not, it’s communicating something to you. Of course, not every property has the charming backstory of The Charmant Hotel, but from years of experience we can tell you that every place has a story to tell. Through collaboration with a design or architecture team, art consultants are able to pull stories off the pitch deck and breathe life into them.
Involving an art consultancy like Kevin Barry Art Advisory means having people on your team whose entire focus is dedicated to creating synergy between a space and the mood you are trying to create.
Whether you’re looking to add art to your hospitality, corporate, healthcare, multi-family or residential property, professional art consultants are a valuable resource.
What is art consulting?
Art consulting is the practice of helping people select and procure art pieces. Sometimes called art consultants or art advisors, these experts pull from a variety of artistic mediums to build art collections that match the property’s story and personal style. Imagine if you had to plan a total overhaul of the art in your home, your office and your doctor’s office in one day. Believe it or not, we call that a Monday.
Who makes a good art consultant?
Above everything else, a great art consultant is equal parts art aficionado, project manager and soothsayer. Of course you’ll need someone who knows a thing or two about art, including art done across a variety of mediums. Still, it’s not enough to have good taste, since the job of an art consultant has as much to do with channeling the taste and needs of the client as anything else.
Professional art consultants are specially trained to use industry knowledge and best practices to help organizations find their identity through artwork. They also take time to understand their clients likes, dislikes, purpose, and passion to ensure the outcome meets—and often exceeds—expectations. At KBAA, we start by asking questions. What is the story you’re trying to tell? How would you like the final product to look and feel?
An art consultant is also a creative problem solver. Working across many different types of projects every day means they need to be flexible and adaptable enough to meet the changing needs of their clients while guiding individuals and businesses toward art that puts what makes them unique front and center.
Why would you hire an art consultant?
When it comes to purchasing artwork, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, and perhaps a bit baffled as to how to channel the client’s needs and taste in your curation process.
That’s where we come in. KBAA is home to a number of experienced art consultants, with years of experience across multiple verticals and brands. An expert art consultant can not only make the process of finding artwork easier, but also narrow down a wide array of options to what makes sense for the job.
Who benefits by using an art consultant?
Short answer: everyone.
Longer answer: hotels, hospitals, offices, multi-family residential, private residential…
and the list goes on.
As research shows, art does more than just make a space look and feel inviting. Researchers like Dr. Craig Knight from the University of Exeter who study the psychology of working environments believe there are measurable benefits of art in working environments. According to Dr. Knight, “If you enrich a space people feel much happier and work better; a very good way of doing this is by using art.” Taking in this kind of research, companies and design firms are beginning to recognize art shouldn’t be an afterthought, but rather an integral part of the interior design from the beginning.
Consider a recent study conducted by the Cleveland Clinic which demonstrates a significant correlation between art in a variety of environments and its effect on productivity and wellness. In fact, today more and more hospitals are leveraging art programs to positively impact employee and patient satisfaction. In the corporate world, the benefits of art in boosting employee morale, brain function, company culture and wellness are compelling reasons to begin to build a corporate art collection.
Art has also become a fundamental element in hotel design as hoteliers realize artwork is more than sourcing mass produced art that looks pretty but does little else. The rise in the popularity of working with art consultants has led to an increase in demand for bespoke, “art moments” in hospitality.
With a world of information at our fingertips, today’s consumer is more savvy and interested in immersive, shareable experience than ever before. As our lives get more customized and unique, today’s hotel guest is looking for a more personalized, memorable experience. Ensuring the visitor has that positive and memorable experience encourages repeat business and positive word of mouth, both of which can make the difference between a worthwhile redesign/rebrand and a flash in the pan.
Let’s Get Started
Once you’ve decided to bring on an art consultant, we recommend bringing them into the design process as soon as possible. Because there is a tremendous benefit to art consultants immersing themselves in the story of the project from moment one, early onboarding of art consultants ensures the entire team speaks the same language when it comes to the look and feel of a project.
In order to help art consultants achieve successful synergy, we recommend sending over as many visual references as possible. These may include (but are not limited to) color boards, elevations, project plans, and furniture ideas. Identify the themes that inform the design of the project, including references to local culture and landmarks, or particular artists or aesthetics the design team is taking inspiration from. These considerations and others like it are pieces of a puzzle that, when combined, reveal unique and compelling details your art consultant can make good use of during the early phases of art curation.
Behind the Scenes
a sample of the design process
Sourcing
Depending on the unique needs of your space and style preferences, art consultants will source specific art pieces and design a cohesive plan. Taking into account the ever important budgetary bottom line, art consultants will consider all the available options: from the more economic to the high-end.
Based on the factors of budget and scope, it may make sense to consider commissioning an original piece to add a one-of-a-kind feeling to a property. We work with a wide variety of local and national artists to discover one-of-a-kind treasures and statement pieces that can immediately change the energy or mood of any space.
Keep in mind that original artwork doesn’t always require a large budget. If you’re working with a smaller budget, you can get creative with substrates in order to keep yourself on track financially. Working with an art consultant means that you’ll have this kind of art industry knowledge at your fingertips, making them a valuable part of any design team.
Behind the Scenes
the making of an original art commission
Placing
Here it is: the KBAA difference. Unlike many art consultancies, KBAA can leverage our talented pool of in-house artists and designers to create exceptional, customized art pieces. This affords particularly economic options when value engineering large-scale projects like hundreds of guestrooms or across multiple office spaces.
Art consultants can manage the process from start to finish so you can feel confident knowing you’ll receive a stunning piece of art, or entire collection, that exceeds your design expectations on time and within budget.
Creating
Sometimes you need to commission the perfect artwork for a space, and sometimes the perfect artwork already exists. How do you know which category your project falls into? The good news is that you don’t have to: the art consultants at Kevin Barry Art Advisory have an extensive network of artists to call upon in search of the best art for any space.
Placing art on a smaller budget doesn’t mean sacrificing uniqueness. An experienced art consultant will have a variety of ideas at the ready to keep things creative and on budget. This may include working with up-and-coming artists or considering limited edition pieces over originals. Placing artwork is all about options, and working with an art consultant means you’ll have an expert on your side.
Behind the Scenes
artwork creation by the KBAA in-house designers
Building the story
Whether we’re aware of it or not, the art selection process reflects as much about ourselves as it does what we want oth›ers to see. An experienced art consultant will help you make sure that your story is central to the art curation process and that the resulting collection puts your best foot forward. Whether you’re looking to convey the history of your hotel or its surrounding area to our guests, or personalize a residential space, creating a cohesive story makes the difference between a ‘huh’ moment and a ‘wow’ moment.
Case Studies
The Logan Curio Collection by Hilton, Philadelphia PA
The Logan is a stylish, luxury hotel located about a mile from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Philadelphia is well known for being a city of firsts and a hub of early American innovation, so it was important to keep history a central part of its aesthetic design.
To help accomplish this goal, our art consultants commissioned local artisans to create various elements that smartly captured the distinguished history of the property. In fact, each space reflects the elegance of the hotel’s brand, as well as the importance of this city to American history.
A “Man of Steel” sculpture, which recalls Philadelphia’s labor and mining industry, greets guests as they enter the hotel lobby. As their gaze shifts upward another sculptural piece featuring famous Philadelphians meets their eye and transports them to another time.
As they continue toward their guest room, images of Philadelphia-native actress Grace Kelly, make a statement in the hotel’s halls. Once inside, guest suites feature abstract art prints of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry alongside imagery of bold topiaries in vibrant blues and greens that add sophistication and a pop of relaxing color to the guest room suites.
Kevin Barry Art Advisory’s work on this project showcases The Logan as a unique hotel experience fit for a city as historic and dynamic as Philadelphia.
Google, Sunnyvale CA
Google Tech Corners, located in Sunnyvale, CA, is regarded as Google’s most innovative and sophisticated campus to date. As such, interactive, fun, and meaningful were the central ideas that guided KBAA’s vision.
For this project, our art consultants were given creative direction to work within the Google colors and draw inspiration from the love and knowledge of technology that built the company. What resulted were a number of tech-inspired art pieces designed to inspire and engage both employees and visitors.
The keystone of this project is a wall covering that pays homage to the company’s origins in Silicon Valley. Google wanted to convey “techie culture-as-art with a dash of whimsy” and KBAA delivered with large sculptural acrylic pieces—in Google colors, of course—overlaid to look like a map. QR codes scatter across the map so anyone can scan and learn more about Google’s local history on the spot.
Mount Sinai Health Center at Hudson Yards, New York NY
Mount Sinai Health Center is paving the way toward improved customer experiences with their latest concierge primary care facility. Located at the new Hudson Yards, a 28-acre mixed-use high-end development on Manhattan’s West Side, the facility is stunning and feels more country club than clinical, which sparked KBAA’s inspiration.
From exam rooms to the medical director’s office, the team at Kevin Barry Art Advisory transformed this Mount Sinai location into a bespoke healthcare experience befitting a first-class healthcare system using over 35 pieces of art specifically commissioned for this project.
The highlights of the collection include several pieces by rising art world star Tracie Cheng, mixed media fabric pieces embellished with gold leafing, and a large statement piece of acrylic on bowed metal entitled “Sapphire Dream” that evokes the perspective of looking down at the earth from space.
Experience the Difference
Working with Kevin Barry Art Advisory means you know that putting storytelling at the forefront of your project is paramount to success. We love opportunities to create that ‘wow’ experience for our customers and their clients through personalized service and thoughtfully curated and commissioned works of art. We believe in the difference working with a great art consultant can make, but more importantly we believe our team has what it takes to make every project a success every time.
If you’re interested in learning more about our process or would like to find out how we can create a unique space for your business, please call 310-945-2655 (or complete our easy online form) to request a complimentary art consultation.
