Art + Soul The Storied House Art Collection at Archer Hotel

While the curated art reflects Archer’s eclectic taste and love of all things whimsical, the local connection fulfills a secondary (and essential) role: It fosters and supports area artists.

“Sophisticated art communities exist in every city across the country,” said Davis. “In less-populated areas, wonderful artists struggle to get their work noticed on a larger scale. Approaching an artist out of the blue about purchasing their work to display in a public space — it’s a great feeling all around.”

Here’s just a taste of some of the local art guests at each Archer Hotel get to experience, along with Davis’ insight about each piece.

In Archer Hotel Austin, we decided to incorporate a neon word sculpture with meaningful text — seemed to fit the Austin vibe. Local artist, curator and graphic designer Phillip Niemeyer recommended that we collaborate with Austin-based letter artist Simon Walker. They suggested the iconic song “Hey Baby Que Paso?” of the beloved local band, the Texas Tornados, and Walker created the stunning “cowboy” lettering.

The two sculptures are guest favorites. Baby shower attendees and lovers alike take fun snaps under “Hey Baby,” while “Que Paso” feels right for a bevy of occasions.

"Hey Baby Que Paso"
Written by Augie Meyers and Bill Sheffield
Published by BMG Bumblebee (BMI)/Brujo Music (BMI)
c/o BMG Rights Management (US) LLC
Used by permission
All rights reserved

Renaissance man and Massachusetts resident Mark Robinson is a designer, musician, filmmaker and creative entrepreneur. He founded the seminal indie label Teen-Beat and recorded the highly acclaimed “Imperial f.f.r.r.” album with his band, Unrest. And to his artwork, Robinson brings a serious dose of dry humor.

On the third floor at Archer Hotel Burlington, Robinson’s series of digital prints curiously crops everyday views, resulting in visual abstraction and heightened curiosity. The image of the empty bleachers at the iconic Fenway Park creates an awareness of the space outside the frame. The vista of rows of seats devoid of people enables the viewer to notice the pattern created by the red armrests and white painted numbers.

At Archer Hotel Falls Church, we wanted a visual homage to the neighborhood, as well as a fun photo moment for our guests. We asked Sophia Kaplan (an East Coast native who visits family every year in Fairfax County) to create a jewel-toned fauxsaic with a “Virginia Is for Lovers” feel for AKB Falls Church — a whimsical bit of irony since Archer Hotel is nestled in the D.C. area’s vibrant Mosaic District.

Inspired by the floor in the Thomas Jefferson Building of the U.S. Library of Congress, Kaplan’s graphic border incorporates stylized cherry blossoms.

Raymond Saá is an art professor at Drew University, near Archer Hotel Florham Park. Saá approaches his multimedia artistic practice as a builder of lines, shapes and structures in sewn works on paper, paintings on canvas and large installations. His work explores the chance tensions that arise between juxtaposed colors and shapes. Saá pays homage to his Cuban grandparents and his mother by incorporating his heritage into the artwork via bright colors. His black-and-white pieces highlight the first-generation struggle to maintain their heritage in their new home.

The second-floor gallery at Archer Hotel Florham Park showcases a custom-created series of colorful, hand-sewn paper collages by Saá.

One of the most exciting guest corridor galleries we have showcases art from Creative Growth in Oakland, California, not far from Archer Hotel Napa. The nonprofit art studio provides a professional environment for artists with developmental disabilities. It has helped aspiring artists for more than 30 years, providing access to the established art world through stories, exhibits and sales.

Joseph Alef is one of 12 artists whose work we selected for the second-floor gallery. Practicing his art at Creative Growth since 2001, he makes active paintings that radiate with energy.

Archer Hotel New York calls the historic Garment District home. We thought it would be fitting to commission an artist to create an outdoor sculpture that had a dialogue with the character of the neighborhood.

Inspired by couture form, New York-based polymedia artist Thea Lanzisero created “Oracle” for the hotel as part of a series of sculptures responding to the poetry and power that fashion holds in celebrating the female form, as well as the art and craftsmanship of handmade dressmaking.

Working with local Seattle artist Jennifer Zwick was a lot of fun. We’d discovered her lovely drawings of fortune cookies. We thought it’d be a great expression of Archer’s whimsy to commission Jennifer to develop a series of fortune cookie drawings with messages we created for the hotel guests.

When Archer Hotel Redmond guests stop to read them, they’re bound to smile.

For Archer Hotel Tysons, we wanted to give nod to the famous “Virginia Is for Lovers” slogan — while upholding Virginia’s robust tradition of public art murals.

We were fortunate to meet D.C. native and artist Nicholas Zimbro, who has done a lot of work in the area. He created this joyful wall painting that expresses a love of nature symbolized by a pair of lovebird cardinals (the official state bird) perched in a dogwood tree (the official state tree).