FARMBOY FINE ART S
2015
A L M A N AC
INSIDE FAIRMONT BAKU FLAME TOWERS EASTERN MANGROVES HOTEL & SPA BY ANANTARA SHAW HOSPITALITY GROUP CAPSULE COLLECTION THE WOODLEY RESIDENCE
2015 FARMBOY FINE ART S
A L M A N AC
IN T RODUC T ION
The old farmer’s almanac is a fixture in every farmhouse, and as a kid growing up on a ranch in rural Alberta, Canada, I always took pleasure in pulling a copy off the book shelf to flip through the pages of funny drawings illustrating weather forecasts, gardening seasons and astrological cycles. After leaving the ranch to complete art school, I founded Farmboy Fine Arts, a full-service international art consultancy, and every year since then we’ve created a portfolio book to showcase our best work. This year we’re giving the book a new direction; we’ve renamed it Almanac and have reimagined its format to give a subtle nod to that old, pocket-size compendium I loved as a kid. The significance of the name Almanac speaks to the evolution of our company as well. Having now delivered more than 2,000 projects in 12 countries over 14 years of operation, our niche position in the industry has given us a unique vantage point that spans art, design, travel and business. As such, the portfolio book must evolve as well. We're not just looking back on past project work, but highlighting
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how our industry experience, international reach, and expansive network of creative partners enable us to see a little bit into the future, too. From hospitality, corporate and healthcare sector trends, to the latest innovations in art and design products, to the cultural, social and investment value of art, these are perspectives one can only glean over time, with eyes open. On the horizon we see a lot of exciting growth and change happening in the industries we touch, and as we expand our footprint as a consultant, we want to take this opportunity to share some of those insights with you. Enjoy flipping through these pages, and if you're not amongst them already, we hope that you will be soon.
Todd Towers President & CEO
THE L AY OF THE L AND An aerial perspective on a prairie landscape captured by FBFA contributing photographer Alexis Gerard.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS A soaring custom mixed media art installation by FBFA takes advantage of the Fairmont Baku Flame Towers' expansive vaulted lobby ceiling.
CON T E N T S
FBFA SERVICES PAGE 14
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STANDARD ROOM DEVELOPMENT
CUSTOM ART AND PRODUCT
CURATING AND SOURCING
Creating the New Modern
Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott
Regional Direction
Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Seattle Center
300,000 and Counting
Coastal Refresh
The Value of Fine Ar t
Hotel MDR Marina Del Rey DoubleTree by Hilton
Rosewood Hotel Georgia
The Modern Bistro
300 Years of Photography
DB Bistro Moderne New York
Bespoke by the Bay
Sheraton Suites Houston Near the Galleria
Ar t by Commission
Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel
Hotel Palomar San Francisco
Hyatt Regency Vancouver
Elemental Design
Centennial Celebration
An International Legacy
Element Brand Standard Diptych
Fairmont Palliser Hotel
Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi
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ART AND BRAND
ART FOR HEALTHCARE SPACES
ART AND PRODUCT INNOVATION
Creative Collaboration
Going Local
What a Relief
Assembly Co-working Space
CityMD Urgent Care
Three Dimensional Wall Art
Investing in the Benjamins
More than Camouflage
Weaving an Ar t Narrative
Fort Capital
Taking Ar t into Account KPMG
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Camp Humphreys
Printing to Fabrics
An Interactive Ar t E xperience Technology and Art
FBFA PROCES S
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That Southern Charm
A Looming Question
Belmond Charleston Place
Shaw Hospitality Group Capsule Collection
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Ar t by Any Other Name
Monumental Ar t
Hotel Arts
The Ritz Carlton Washington D.C.
FE ATURE PROJECT S
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Ar t in the Land of Fire
Home is W here the Ar t is
Fairmont Baku Flame Towers
The Woodley Residence
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An Oasis in the Deser t
Bright Lights in Old Vegas
Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara
Renaissance Las Vegas
CUR ATED COLLECTIONS
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Deconstructing the Cit y
Natural Surrender
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One Moment, Please
Foreign Correspondence
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FARMBOY FINE ARTS Suite 500 – 319 W Hastings St Vancouver, BC, V6B 1H6, Canada P: +1 604 699 2466 P: +1 877 302 3232 F: +1 604 609 2699 E: info@farmboyfinearts.com farmboyfinearts.com
TODD TOWERS President & CEO
ON THE COVER Untitled (Three Moons) by Sherin Guirguis featured in the Fairmont Baku Flame Towers art collection, curated by FBFA.
TIM GUDE WILL COO ARIEL GRUE LEE VP of Business Development ROB ESTES North American Sales Director CHRIS GUELPA Managing Director
CR AIG DAVID LONG Design Director FELICIT Y CARTER Artist & Acquisitions Manager FATIMA TR AVASSOS Senior Designer
DANA BAY Senior Account Manager
JORDAN HILLIARD Senior Designer
VANESSA BURGESS Senior Account Manager
MEGHAN O’CONNELL Senior Designer
HALLEY BROLLY Account Manager
NEEL A K LER Designer
STEPHANIE MULL ANEY Director of Production SUSAN DEVLIN Director of Finance SUZANNE DELUCA Accountant
ON THE REVERSE An abstract painting made in collaboration between FBFA in-house designers Felicity Carter and Neela Kler.
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SPECIAL THANKS John Bilodeau | Andrew Cebulka | Terrene Conway Darren David | Ted Houseknecht | Simon Impey Gunnar Knechtel | Jules Konig | Wendy Mancha Kimberley Miller | Susan Paul | Frances Phillips | Maria Scott VNB - Virginie Lamarche & Bastien Desfriches Doria
THINKING BLOCKS Faiza Mubarak's modular artwork commissioned by FBFA for the lobby of the Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa in Abu Dhabi.
A FE AST FOR THE EYES Soody Sharifi's The Feast of Id in Le Bistro restaurant at the Fairmont Baku Flame Towers.
CON T RIBU T ORS
Y VONNE BOYD Boasting over 16 years of photography experience, Yvonne Boyd began collaborating with Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) in 2006 and has become one of our most popular photographers. Yvonne was instrumental in shooting regional content for the Belmond Charleston Place hotel (page 26) and has images included in our curated collection, 'Natural Surrender' (page 78).
A JAY MALGHAN Ajay Malghan began working with FBFA in 2008. With a strong foundation in old film technology and a reputation for curiosity and experimentation, Ajay’s subject matter can range from striking architecture (page 67) to fascinating, abstracted vegetable skins. He has a way with the lens and currently works between Austin and Baltimore.
ARIAN CAMILLERI Arian Camilleri's edgy and intriguing photography is featured in two of our curated collections (pages 71 and 75). Arian boasts an impressive list of commercial clients, as well as more than 20 awards for photography. Currently based in New York, he kindly makes himself available for coffees and walks on The High Line when the FBFA team visits NYC.
VASI PETOUSSIS As a self-taught artist, Vasi Petoussis's experiential approach to the arts has always been multi-disciplinary. After many years of educating and mastering techniques, Vasi now works mostly in oils which give her artworks a beautiful tactile quality, as seen in 'Foreign Correspondence' (page 87). Her work has been showcased in several art galleries across Canada.
STEVEN ERRICO Photographer Steven Errico grew up in Prince Rupert in northwestern British Columbia, an area that boasts some of the best fishing in the world. But Steven “doesn't like fish… so he had to leave.” Now based in Vancouver, Steven has been with FBFA since 2006, capturing quiet yet significant moments, making his works perfect for our collection ‘One Moment, Please’ (page 73).
DANA MOONEY Dana Mooney is one of our newest and most energetic artists, signing with FBFA in mid-2013. Dana’s background in interior design gives her an edge when creating original custom artworks for clients, such as her commission for Hyatt Regency Vancouver (page 17). Based in Vancouver, Dana is another artist who kindly opens her studio (and beer fridge) to the FBFA team. 11
S TA ND A R D ROOM DE V E L OP ME N T Delivering consistent, cost-effective guest experiences across a brand.
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CRE ATING THE NE W MODERN Transforming an innocuous architectural element — a plain wall — into a feature art piece, Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) recently worked with Marriott to develop the brand’s next generation guest room wall covering specification. A key component of the new program, called Marriott Modern, is customization. Through negotiations with industry leading manufacturing partners, FBFA now offers standard, exclusive pricing to Marriott properties for completely customized wall covering.
001 NE WARK LIBERT Y INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MARRIOT T DWB.200.00072.27
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REGIONA L DIRECTION
004 ELEMENT BR AND STANDARD DIPT YCH FES.410.00009
Focused on fresh, contemporary photography, the Four Points by Sheraton standard room art program offers simple, cost effective art products that still add polish and interest to a guest room. FBFA often works directly with interior designers, purchasers and ownership groups to develop custom, regionally specific photography for individual properties, further differentiating Four Points from its competitors.
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S TA N D A R D R O O M D E V E L O P M E N T
002 FOUR POINTS BY SHER ATON DOWNTOWN SE AT TLE CENTER LKW.100.00450.1 003 SHER ATON DF W AIRPORT HOTEL DJK.500.00127
FBFA S ERV ICE S
SETTING THE STANDARDS Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) currently offers volume pricing for both specified and custom developed art work to the following brands.
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300,000 AND COUNTING When FBFA first developed the Sheraton brand standard with Starwood in 2007, the then-small consultancy was excited to have its first official brand specification. Now, with over 300,000 pieces delivered, FBFA is still excited to work on Sheraton projects, customizing each package to reflect the region and personality of the property.
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ELEMENTA L DESIGN Printed direct to boxed aluminum dibond, the Element by Westin’s standard guest room and public space art program not only fits the brand’s aesthetic principles, but also its environmental principles. Developed by FBFA, the art product’s dibond core is made of recycled plastic, heralding back to Element’s brand focus to incorporate sustainable, eco-friendly design throughout their properties.
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CU S T OM A R T A ND PRODUC T
Developing one-of-a-kind art collections for one-of-a-kind properties.
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COA S TA L REFRESH Sometimes it’s not about renovating; it’s about refreshing. That was the case with the DoubleTree by Hilton in Marina Del Rey. The property didn’t need a renovation, just an FF&E refresh to update the property’s guest rooms, and new art work was identified as an essential in giving the rooms a quick ‘pick me up’. Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) paired black and white coastal photography with abstract pieces reminiscent of classic wood surfboards for the 208 rooms, turning around the entire project in less than three months.
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THE MODERN BIS TRO Incorporating a nod to renowned chef Daniel Boulud’s past was important for the renovation of his New York restaurant, DB Bistro Moderne. But, even an historic homage must fit within a modern design direction. To help bridge the divide, FBFA worked with interior design firm Jeffrey Beers International to develop a series of custom printed mirrors for the restaurant’s dining area. The mirrors feature historic maps of New York’s Midtown — a nod to the restaurant’s location — as well as maps of Lyon, France — Boulud’s childhood home. Boulud was so happy with the custom art, he also incorporated it in the restaurant’s updated menu design.
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FBFA S ERV ICE S
CUSTOM ART & PRODUCT
BESPOK E BY THE BAY
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Every city has its own unique character, and capturing this intangible quality is often a great starting point around which to build an art collection. Such was the case with The Hotel Palomar San Francisco’s guest room renovation. The property owner wanted eclectic artwork to go with his design forward interiors and to epitomize hip San Francisco. FBFA took a handmade approach to the request, creating custom, layered photo collages which were then produced as wrapped canvases for 66 rooms at the property.
001 HOTEL MDR MARINA DEL REY DOUBLETREE BY HILTON CML.000.00012.2 002 DB BISTRO MODERNE NE W YORK FJH.210.00001 003 HOTEL PALOMAR SAN FR ANCISCO FSQ.010.00048 004
004 FAIRMONT PALLISER HOTEL SSP.200.00048.2
CENTENNIA L CELEBR ATION All Fairmont Palliser wanted for its 100th birthday was a merger of historic luxury, a rich palette and classic Calgarian charm. FBFA was happy to oblige, by way of a 525 piece art collection, including both framed art and canvases, delivered to the property’s 133 guest rooms in time for the June 1st, 2014, centennial celebration.
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CUR AT ING A ND S OURCING Acquiring the right art to achieve an unparalleled art experience.
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THE VA LUE OF FINE ART At the onset of a massive renovation and restoration in 2008, the Rosewood Hotel Georgia hadn’t considered investing in a fine art collection. Through Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA)'s concept development process, however, the hotel owner, brand, and interior designer all became more engaged with the idea of a worldclass contemporary art collection at the property. Over the course of the project, the initial art budget was nearly tripled, and to date the collection of more than 200 works has increased in value by an estimated 20 per cent.
300 YE ARS OF PHOTOGR APHY
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Incorporating archival photography into a hospitality art collection is an effective way for a property to put down roots. And in the case of the Sheraton Houston Galleria, FBFA had over 300 years of Houston history to draw from. Selecting and restoring nearly 50 archival images from various Lone Star State and national archives, FBFA delivered brand-approved framed art and printed acrylic to the property’s 280 guest rooms, public spaces and corridors.
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FBFA S ERV ICE S
C U R AT I N G & S O U R C I N G
001 ROSE WOOD HOTEL GEORGIA Sonny Assu, Consumption, acrylic on hide drum, 22” x 22" 002 SHER ATON SUITES HOUSTON NE AR THE GALLERIA University of Houston Library 003 HYAT T REGENCY VANCOUVER Dana Mooney, Under Ocean Swells, 84” x 48” 004 YAS VICEROY ABU DHABI Layla Juma, Combination Series - Edition 1 of 7, archival matte paper print, 39.39" x 39.39"
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ART BY COMMIS SION Commissioned works are more than just a great way to get one-of-a-kind art perfectly suited to an interior environment — they also help support artists and the larger art community. That was all the convincing Hyatt Regency in Vancouver needed to move forward with a unique painting from emerging artist Dana Mooney for their lobby area. FBFA collaborated with Mooney to develop the 84” wide by 48” high piece, ensuring it fit within the larger art narrative FBFA had already developed throughout the rest of the property’s public space.
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AN INTERNATIONA L LEGACY When construction began on the seven hotels of Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, everyone knew the ambitious project would become an international icon. This trajectory to prominence is what prompted the developer and FBFA to develop an art collection across each hotel that prominently featured artists from the greater region. With over 5,000 pieces featuring more than 150 artists — including Layla Juma , Mohammed Kazem, Mohammed Al Mubarak — the Yas Island collection proudly displays to the world the burgeoning art scene of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and surrounding Gulf Cooperation Council nations.
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A R T A ND BR A ND
Employing artistic initiatives to define and demonstrate brand personality.
CRE ATIVE COLL ABOR ATION When wall space is at a premium and a co-working office requires branding relevant to current and future tenants, a creative approach to the art experience is a must. At the Assembly Co-working Space in Calgary, Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) created several custom art pieces to suit the space’s unique design features. From graphic roller-shades for the floor to ceiling windows, to a modular light installation along a dark corridor, to a hand painted anamorphic graphic at the intersection of two hallways, FBFA crafted an art package that worked within the space, capitalizing on the interest created by the building’s architecture.
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INV ES TING IN THE BEN JA MINS What type of art would an investment services consultancy hang on its walls? That was the question Fort Capital in Vancouver asked FBFA. And at its root, the question shows the power of art in offices. It allows companies to demonstrate brand — subtly and memorably — beyond simply displaying a corporate logo. In this instance, FBFA curated a fresh and energetic art collection playing off historic financiers—qualities at the core of Fort Capital’s brand identity.
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FBFA S ERV ICE S
ART AND BRAND
001 ENSEMBLE CAST The custom wallcovering at Assembly Co-working Space features headshots of iconic innovators, and measures 8 feet tall by over 40 feet long.
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TA KING ART INTO ACCOUNT Like many large, established companies, KPMG had a vast existing art collection spread across their six floors of office space in Vancouver. Posters and reproductions were hung and stored next to original paintings and sculptures. FBFA worked with KPMG to re-curate their existing collection by evaluating the artwork inventory and creating a unique thematic direction for each floor, updating their framing and mounting design along the way. These individual narratives came together to create a cohesive overall vision for the entire office, one that fit with their large-scale office renovation and created an inviting, updated look that would stimulate office culture.
002 THE BENJAMINS Interpreting Franklin's iconic etched portrait — the one from the U.S. $100 bill — FBFA created a stylized triptych for the conference spaces at Fort Capital's of fices in Vancouver. 003 ARTISTIC AUDIT FBFA curated, reframed and rehung over 70 artworks for KPMG’s six f loors of renovated of fice space, coupling original artworks from their existing inventory with new acquisitions, including a piece from Brent Comber.
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A R T F OR HE A LT H C A R E S PA CE S
Drawing on the therapeutic nature of art to improve the patient experience.
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GOING LOCA L Health care environments are notorious for being cold and clinical, but not at a new 24-hour walk-in emergency clinic aiming to change all that. CityMD, which has locations across New York state, has set out to offer a better patient experience by capitalizing on each location's strong connection to its local community. Brought to the project by Andrew Fredman Architects, Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) sent photographers to shoot original images of each of clinic’s neighborhoods, then treated the photos to fit CityMD’s brand aesthetic and applied them to various art products, including light-boxes, acrylic and framed art.
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FBFA S ERV ICE S
A R T F O R H E A LT H C A R E S PA C E S
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MORE THAN CA MOUFL AGE Healthcare spaces create a unique marriage of art and evidence-based research. Selections can’t be based simply on decorative considerations; they have to also comply with the tenets of emerging research that show art’s impact on patient outcomes. Understanding this reality was a requirement of Leoy A Daly when they approached FBFA to develop an art collection for the renovation of several medical buildings at Camp Humphreys—the largest US Army Garrison in Asia. Fortunately, FBFA had done its homework. Ranging from administrative buildings to treatment wards, FBFA used evidence-base design research to curate and build an art collection that was both suitable for the medical environment, relevant to the US service personnel based there, and paid homage to South Korea’s local geography and cultural heritage.
001 CIT YMD BAB.2091-622.2 & BAB.2091-622.1 BAB.2090.932.4 & BAB.2090.932.3 002 CAMP HUMPHREYS MJL.400.00088 MJL.400.00244 MJL.400.00070.1
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A R T A ND P RODUC T INNO VAT ION Paving the way forward through research and development.
WHAT A RELIEF
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In 2014, it quickly became apparent to the Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) team that three-dimensional wall art was going to be a big trend in interior design. It was appearing everywhere, on blogs and on social media, and right in clients' own design presentations. While these types of works are relatively easy to source or produce in small quantities, manufacturing them in volume for roll-outs across hundreds of guest rooms can be more challenging. But no feat is too great for FBFA; we've partnered with numerous foundries and production facilities across the U.S. and Canada to allow for delivery of large-scale projects.
001 CUSTOM CASTING As part of routine innovations at FBFA, the team created this modular, wall-mounted 3D art piece, cast from white plaster.
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002 BR ANCHING INTO LE ATHERS Using various colors and finishes of synthetic commercial leather as substrates, FBFA routinely creates custom headboard wraps for hospitality projects.
FBFA S ERV ICE S
003 ART AND TECHNOLOGY FBFA is collaborating with Stimulant, a company at the forefront of emerging interactive technologies.
A R T A N D P R O D U C T I N N O VAT I O N
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WE AVING AN ART NARR ATIV E An art collection doesn’t have to be solely comprised of framed art and canvases; in fact, a good art collection should incorporate a variety of mediums. FBFA often proposes art where the very materials support the concept, bringing texture and tactility to the collection. From commercial synthetic leathers and suedes, to cottons and voiles, FBFA can reproduce artwork on a wide variety of textiles.
AN INTER ACTIV E ART E XPERIENCE
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Hospitality brands are becoming evermore aware of technology's role in evolving and enhancing the guest experience. As guest's tastes, preferences and expectations shift and develop, brands must continually employ novel solutions to keep them engaged and satisfied. One avenue FBFA is actively exploring is the merger of art and technology to create interactive and immersive hotel experiences. FBFA has partnered with technology industry leaders—such as Stimulant, a San Francisco and Seattle based firm—to develop generative, sensory, kinetic and projection art installations for use in hospitality public spaces and, yes, guest rooms too. As technology develops and hardware costs continue to become more and more competitive, FBFA will be ready to support hospitality brands who want to be on the cutting edge of art, design and technology, by taking advantage of these innovative art applications.
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001 SOUTHERN COMFORT The finely appointed guest rooms at the Belmond Charleston Place feature traditional aesthetic details in a modern, subdued palette.
T H AT S OU T HE R N CH A R M The Belmond Charleston Place enters a new generation. Overlooking the more than 200-year-old City Market in the heart of Charleston, South Carolina, the Belmond Charleston Place has one eye on the past and one on the future. A vast Southern estate, the more than 400-room Charleston landmark is full of ornate mill work and opulent craftsmanship that befits the architectural style of it and the neighboring buildings—many of which were constructed in the 1800s. These details are merged with a beguiling flare of contemporary luxury design choices, leveraging the past and present to create a one-of-a-kind experience. “Charleston Place and the surrounding area had such a rich history to draw from,” says Craig David Long, Design Director at Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA), the consulting firm that developed the art collection. “The Belmond brand is all about discovery, and we wanted the artwork to take a foray into the city's past, but express itself in a contemporary way. The juxtaposition of these two elements creates a rich and authentic experience for guests who want to experience true Southern charm during their stay.”
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FBFA PROCE S S
BELMOND CHARLESTON PL ACE
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Through 2014, FBFA delivered a custom art collection for the property’s guest-rooms and suites, incorporating custom works created by FBFA’s in-house designers along with archival images and local photography. The next component of the collection was framing—an art form unto itself. “Material considerations and framing selections are crucial,” Long explains. “There are innumerable options available. We often let the art dictate the frame selection, but with Charleston Place, we also took cues from the property itself, incorporating moldings with craftsmanlike flare to reflect the millwork, matte fillets, and high quality fine art papers. We even worked with a specialty dye shop to deboss a series of limited edition prints.”
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5”
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30”
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110”
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FBFA PROCE S S
BELMOND CHARLESTON PL ACE
To help convey these subtleties, FBFA supplied numerous frame molding samples — including several custom-milled options — direct to the property and purchasing agent. These material samples helped to bring the burgeoning art collection to life, taking it off the computer screen and into tangible reality. According to Long, getting these physical samples in hand always helps to communicate the big picture.
THE ART IS IN THE DETAILS A marque piece of the Belmond Charleston Place art collection is a 36” x 36” limited edition custom print created by FBFA artist Jordan Hilliard, titled ‘Circle on Square Paper’. An abstracted landscape painting, the piece is printed on heavy linen fine art paper, debossed to a depth of 1/8”, and float mounted in a white, 2.25” deep shadow box frame.
“The sampling stage is incredibly useful for clients,” Long says. “If the project timelines allow, we always like to get samples in front of the client so they see the frames in person, and can really visualize how they’ll look to guests once the art piece is hung on the wall.” To further help convey less tangible elements of the collection, such as pacing, scale and the relationship between pieces within the space, FBFA provided Charleston Place with detailed bird’s-eye floor plan drawings and elevation mock-ups. As with the frame molding samples, these floor plan drawings help to provide clarity throughout the development process and allow FBFA to quickly and easily work through refinements to the final art collection, producing a much more cohesive and impactful art experience. And the collection has been impactful. FBFA routinely fields requests from Charleston Place guests wishing to purchase art found in the property.
001 PIECES OF A WHOLE The pacing of specific art pieces throughout a space is integral to ensuring a cohesive experience. To help convey the relationship between artworks, FBFA mocked up bird’s-eye f loor plan drawings to indicate artwork placements. To convey scale and material details, FBFA presented elevation drawings with artwork thumbnails.
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001 HIT TING THE WALL Custom wall-covering can be incredibly impactful, but the final result depends greatly on the expertise of the installer. FBFA often provides comprehensive installation documentation to the general contractor to ensure proper execution.
A R T BY A N Y O T HE R N A ME Calgary’s Hotel Arts has built a guest experience around its namesake — the arts. For Hotel Arts, the name says it all. Located in the heart of Calgary, the 12-floor property epitomizes contemporary luxury, leveraging a recent $7-million renovation to create an innovative, design-focused guest experience. Calgary’s first designer boutique hotel, originally opened in 2005, Hotel Arts’ 185 guest rooms were redesigned by B+H CHIL with guest room and corridor art curated by Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA). Through the design process, a unique, custom guest room experience was identified as a key component to a successful collection. “Early on, the Hotel Arts group articulated they didn’t want typical guest room art,” says Todd Towers, President and CEO of FBFA. “For such an art and design focused property, we knew we needed to offer guests something unexpected and impactful.”
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FBFA PROCE S S
HOTEL ARTS
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One solution was a custom-designed and manufactured modular wall sculpture. Installed in each of the guest rooms alongside traditional framed art pieces, the modular wall art incorporated several custom milled materials including printed aluminum dibond and acrylic. These materials were then installed in an overlapping and interlocking pattern, and stood off the wall to create depth and relief. Together with the graphic framed art pieces, the final guest room collection is unique and contemporary, and challenged the idea of what guest room art could be. FBFA also designed 12 individual wall coverings for each of the property’s 12 elevator lobbies. Taking cues from the dynamic corridor carpet, each mural creates a bold introduction to its corresponding floor, as well as serves as wayfinding for guests. “The bold choices for the guest room and corridor art experience really challenge what people might think work in a luxury hotel,” says Towers. “But Hotel Arts proves that luxury is a product of intentional design, and doesn't necessarily always follow a singular definition.”
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FBFA PROCE S S
HOTEL ARTS
SIDEVIEW
PANEL CLEAT
PANEL
WALL
WALL CLEAT
SPACER
PEEL THE BACKING OFF THE TAPE FROM BOTTOM SPACER AND PRESS TO THE WALL
001 TO HE X WITH IT To ensure the smooth installation of a modular work of art, FBFA developed a detailed installation guide showing not only location, but also the order of installation.
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001 GOING FULL TILT The Tilt carpet field from FBFA and Shaw Hospitality Group's collaboration is one of seven custom fields available.
A L OOMING QUE S T ION A capsule carpet collection developed in partnership with Shaw Hospitality Group. Can a commercial carpet collection be artful? That was the ambitious question that Shaw Hospitality Group and Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) sought to answer in 2013 when they partnered to create a unique and completely custom product line. To answer that question, FBFA proposed that the two companies approach the development of the collection in the same way that an artist might approach a new body of work. “Early on, both Shaw and FBFA were really excited about the idea of creating a carpet collection that revolved around the creative process of an artist,” Felicity Carter, lead FBFA designer on the project, explains. “But which artistic discipline should we focus on? How could we really engage interior designers when specifying the collection in their projects? How could we involve them into that process, so they aren't simply selecting fields, corridors and rugs out of a catalog? These were all the questions we played with initially, trying to determine the most exciting direction for the line.” Initially, FBFA proposed four concepts for the line, taking inspiration from hypothetical painters', sculptors', mixed media artists' and photographers' studios respectively. The intention was to create four subsets within a single, overarching collection, representing components from each discipline. But through the discovery process, Shaw argued there was intriguing merit associated with each individual discipline, so
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FBFA PROCE S S
S H A W H O S P I TA L I T Y G R O U P C A P S U L E C O L L EC T I O N
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001 001 A BRUSH IN HAND Each of FBFA's carpet designs was born from a handmade brush stroke, which was then digitized and manipulated so it could be produced as carpet.
much so that each discipline could warrant an entire collection to itself. FBFA was inclined. The teams agreed to focus on three disciplines as stand alone collections—painting, sculpture and photography—and FBFA set to work on translating each of these into carpet. “The decision to move forward with three specific collections, in lieu of a single one, was quite liberating actually,” says Carter. “Once we knew we could really focus on each discipline, it allowed us to explore and experiment with them in a much more in-depth way.” The first of the three collections, dubbed The Studio/Painting , was developed over four months, officially launching at BDNY in November 2014. Emerging from
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FBFA PROCE S S
S H A W H O S P I TA L I T Y G R O U P C A P S U L E C O L L EC T I O N
innumerable concepts and working files, FBFA delivered 40 concepts for various field, corridors and rugs, all taking as their starting point original handmade paintings created by FBFA's in-house design team. “Once we started, we all kind of got carried away with it,” Carter jokes. “We would start on a field, then as we were working on it, we’d have an idea for another field and then a corridor, and it just continued to ripple on and develop. Farmboy and Shaw both wanted bold designs, and so it was a lot of fun to keep building ideas and pushing the envelope.” Developing these initial 40 concepts was just the start of the process though, because paint on paper has a very different visual qualities than colorpoint carpet technology, which restricts designs to only four colors. How would the two teams achieve the same texture, gradient and saturation as paint? That's where Shaw’s extensive design and manufacturing expertise came into play. Countless carpet samples were produced to test color and design, as well as pragmatic elements such as durability and production time. The two companies combined their knowledge to create a final line of seven fields, nine rugs, eight corridors and seven tiles, all of which can all be individually customized by interior designers, stimulating artistic involvement at every stage of the design process. The wonderful byproduct of all this, as FBFA would discover, was the number of paintings and sketches the team had created along the way. From these, FBFA re-appropriated elements to create a new art collection of 17 finished pieces that would specifically complement the carpets. From floor to ceiling in one singular stroke.
002 AYE, THERE'S THE RUG FBFA's Dry Brush Rug is one of nine rugs created as part of The Studio/ Painting collection.
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001 INTERPRETING A MONUMENT FBFA developed numerous custom concepts for printed antique mirrors that were inspired by Robert Mills' iconic Washington Monument. 002 AN INTERESTING ANGLE Tony Smith's sculpture, Throwback, located at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., provided further inspiration to the FBFA design team.
MONUME N TA L A R T Bringing the Capital's iconic monuments and sculptures into the Ritz Carlton Washington D.C. Just north of Washington Circle and Georgetown University, the Ritz Carlton offers politicians, diplomats and discerning travelers a luxurious respite from the fervor of the Nation’s Capital. Sustaining this sense of reprieve, while staying true to the Ritz Carlton’s elegant guest experience, was the objective when Rockwell Group's New York office began designing the renovation for the hotel's Presidential and Club Presidential suites in 2013.
and wanted something evocative of the Ritz Carlton’s sophistication and that had modern flair. During the discovery process, Rockwell Group and FBFA identified that the iconic monuments and public art throughout the District of Columbia would serve as the core narrative element around which to build the suites’ artwork collection.
Rockwell Group approached Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) to develop a custom art package for the suites,
FBFA developed several iterations of custom concepts taking their inspiration from such D.C. structures as Robert Mills' Washington Monument, Tony Smith's Throwback and Mark di Suvero's Are Years What?
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T H E R I T Z C A R LT O N W A S H I N G T O N D.C .
FBFA PROCE S S
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001 001 AGED TO PERFECTION Mirror antiquing methods vary depending on manufacturer, glass type and creative requirements. To achieve Rockwell Group's desired ef fect, FBFA vetted numerous antiquing styles and methods.
While developing the creative, the FBFA team also began researching and sourcing glass manufacturers who could deliver custom printed mirrors with exactly the right antique patina. After product discovery with eight different glass manufacturers from across the U.S., FBFA selected a manufacturer in California to print small samples with the custom artwork. Through reviews with Rockwell, adjustments were made to the art file, finishing specifications and printing method to create a final art product that struck the right balance between print and mirror reveal, and was sophisticated but contemporary. The final printed mirror was to be installed onto a wall directly behind a mounted television. This installation location necessitated exact milling and manufacturing, making allowances for not only the TV mounting hardware, but also the various supply cables for the in-suite entertainment system. Working with the manufacturer to understand their production process and the general contractor on installation, FBFA's detailed shop drawings and installation guidelines ensured a seamless and accurate installation that reflected the level of excellence the Ritz Carlton is known for.
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FBFA PROCE S S
T H E R I T Z C A R LT O N W A S H I N G T O N D.C .
002 WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS To facilitate the mirror's custom milling, and ensure easy installation afterwards, FBFA provided scaled elevation drawings for installation.
PRES-001: Printed mirror to be trimmed down from 56.875”W to 52.3125”W
PRES-002: TV cut out is 37”W x 10.4”H and is centered at 47.5” from the bottom and is in the middle of 56.875”W
Seam at 47.5” from bottom
47.5"
PRES-001: TV cut out is 37”W x 10.4”H and is centered at 47.5” from the bottom and is in the middle of 52.325”W
002 56.875"
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001 SOARING ALEMS A custom mixed media art installation developed by FBFA for the Fairmont Baku Flame Towers lobby.
Fairmont Baku Flame Towers
A R T IN T HE L A ND OF FIRE The undulating wind off the Caspian Sea recedes after crossing the threshold into the Fairmont Baku Flame Towers hotel. The sweeping lines of the building’s glass façade drift upward, drawing the eye to a soaring mixed media art installation behind the reception desk of the expansive lobby’s seven-storey vaulted ceiling. The three miles of crystal strands that drape from the chandelier cast a shimmering light on the marble-tiled walls, which in turn are accentuated by a contemporary collection of
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Azeri and international artwork. This museum quality collection is more than a unique feature of the Flame Towers' interiors — to the local arts community and Fairmont brand, it is a local treasure. Throughout the hotel is a purposefully curated fine art experience, featuring over 50 artists from Azerbaijan as well as from 19 other countries. Vancouver-based art consultancy Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) was responsible for curating and sourcing the collection of more than 100 original works.
FA I R M O N T B A K U F L A M E T O W E R S
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Todd Towers, President and CEO of FBFA explains, “In any hotel project, for us, it’s not enough to simply buy art for a property; it’s about finding pieces that create a visual and thematic narrative that has the power to make an impact. Without that narrative, that thread tying all the works together, the art is merely decorative.” With over a millennia of historical, political and cultural influences — from Persians, Arabs, Mongols and Russians — as well as the most recent political transformation through the country’s second
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independence in 1991, FBFA had a vast breadth of potential themes to draw upon for the landmark property’s art narrative. Through historical research, meetings with Azeri artists, as well as the project’s interior design team, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), FBFA developed an art narrative that centered on an ancient Azeri poetic form, the ghazal. A rhyming couplet and refrain expressing the pain of loss, but love’s enduring beauty in the face of it, the ghazal concept allowed FBFA to curate a robust and expressive art experience
FA I R M O N T B A K U F L A M E T O W E R S
“It’s not enough to simply buy art for a property; it’s about finding pieces that create a visual and thematic narrative that has the power to make an impact.”
001 FIRE AND WATER The iconic Flame Towers overlook the Caspian Sea and old Baku in Azerbaijan.
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002 UNFURLING ME ANING Hadieh Shafie, 10750 Pages, ink and paper with printed and hand-written Farsi text, 30" x 30"
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001 001 POETRY IN LIFE Shahriar Ahmadi Fugitively, mixed media on canvas, 81" x 57.5"
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FA I R M O N T B A K U F L A M E T O W E R S
Gert & Uwe Tobias Based in Germany, Romanian-born twin brothers Gert and Uwe Tobias typically create largescale woodcuts, but their practice also includes typewriter drawings and watercolors, handmade ceramic sculptures, and wooden constructions.
incorporating paintings, sculpture, photography and mixed media works. Ariel Grue Lee, Business Development Director at FBFA, spent extensive time on the ground in Baku working on the project. “Many of the works were chosen because they had an individual story that reflected our overall art concept,” she explains. “For example, the work by Hadieh Shafie is composed of numerous small bound scrolls that have handwritten poetry inscribed on them. The scrolls are then combined to make up the overall composition. Both conceptually relevant and physically beautiful, her piece resonates even if the viewer cannot actually read or see the poetry itself.” Over the 24 months FBFA spent curating and delivering the Flame Towers fine art collection, the Vancouver-based design team additionally developed over 400 reproductions for the Fairmont Baku’s 320 guest rooms and suites. When the property was opened by Azeri President Ilham Aliyev in June 2013, the building’s innovative design, luxurious interiors and museum quality art collection made it a international icon overnight.
Untitled, colored woodcut on paper, 81" x 68.5"
Reza Derakshani Reza Derakshani’s work stems from a passion for exploring form and style in pursuit of beauty. His nuanced perception of light and dark finds expression in many artistic forms, but with the recurring themes of opposition and duality that are found in contrast. The artist has furthermore gained recognition for merging traditional and contemporary styles and techniques.
Every Darkness, Every Light, mixed media on canvas, 72" x 119.5"
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001 DESERT MANGROVES Overlooking the Mangrove National Park in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara features luxurious amenities and a collection of Middle Eastern and international art.
Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara
A N OA SIS IN T HE DE SER T The ‘ask’ was complex. Develop an art collection that pays tribute to the new property’s stunning Middle Eastern architecture. And the adjacent national mangrove preserve. And Abu Dhabi’s vista across the peninsula. And make sure it fits with the Anantara brand. Fortunately, these types of requests are routinely fielded by Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) in their various art consulting projects. “We love bold, complex requests for art collections,” explains Todd Towers, President and CEO of FBFA. “Projects like Eastern Mangroves allow us to really explore and develop unique and unexpected stories about the hotel, and about the local area, through art. And in the end that translates into a much more inspired guest experience.”
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E A S T E R N M A N G R O V E S H O T E L & S PA BY A N A N TA R A
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001 MERGING ELEMENTS Origami sculptures are af fixed to a kaleidoscopic pattern in the mixed media art pieces in the Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa guest rooms.
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During FBFA’s concept design process with the project’s interior designer, myriad solutions were explored. From a single theme that connects each seemingly disparate artwork, to building a collection around one seminal acquisition, all roads were explored for the 200-room hotel and spa. The inspiration for the final art narrative, however, stemmed from an exhibition. “Our inspiration actually came from the UAE that year,” says Towers. “Gagosian Gallery had shown work from Damien Hirst’s Supernatural series. Lots of butterflies and other creatures in spirals and stained glass. This got us thinking about the animals in the mangrove preserve, as well as how Hirst’s pattern work was almost reminiscent of the traditional mashrabiya latticework seen throughout the UAE and larger Arab world.”
E A S T E R N M A N G R O V E S H O T E L & S PA BY A N A N TA R A
International Collection The Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara boasts a fine art collection of over 125 original works from more than 25 artists. Below are two of the artists included.
Pouran Jinchi, Night (3), charcoal on paper, 33" x 46"
Dia Al Azzawi, Arab Market No. 4, limited edition giclee print, 39" x 52.75"
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From this point of departure, the FBFA team began developing the property’s art collection. In the guest rooms, FBFA wanted to develop a piece that incorporated the property’s various requested design elements. The first stage was to develop a custom kaleidoscope pattern, one that paid tribute to the mangrove creatures and that's composition mimicked local mashrabiya. Next, FBFA commissioned an origami artist to hand-fold over 700 frogs, turtles and dragonfly sculptures, which were then pinned to the kaleidoscope pattern and framed in an two-inch-deep shadow box frame. To round out the remaining three pieces in the guest room, FBFA produced a custom 18” by 30” wrapped canvas artwork, as well as over 400 custom hand-pressed paper pieces, produced on locally-made artisanal paper. “It’s always great when you can include handmade originals in the guest room,” says Towers. “It helps make the space more intimate and personal.”
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E A S T E R N M A N G R O V E S H O T E L & S PA BY A N A N TA R A
Throughout the property’s suites and public spaces, another 125 original fine art pieces by more than 25 artists were placed, including Parviz Tanavoli, Husein Balbaki, Faiza Mubarak and Abdulaziz Al Fadli. Sourced and acquired by FBFA from galleries around the world, the works were consciously placed in locations to not only display them for maximum impact, but also to provide a cohesive and thoughtful experience as guests move through the spaces.
001 NE W CALLIGR APHY Abdulaziz Al Fadli, Untitled 1, print, 19.7" x 13.75" 002 THE ART OF ABSTR ACTION Husein Balbaki, Untitled, mixed media, 70.9" x 63"
“It’s our standard practice to provide clients with a floor plans showing the placement of work,” says Towers. This documentation and installation layout is vital to a successful collection, he explains. “Works may look great on paper and fit the art narrative, but if they don’t make sense in the physical space, and how people will interact with them, that’s a disservice to the work and to the guests.”
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001 SCULPTURE IN WORDS Artist Cara Barer's photograph Consumption comments on the way society has come to retrieve information by changing a common reference book into a work of sculpture.
The Woodley Residence
HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS In the world of real estate development, a property’s list of amenities and features is what sets it apart from the rest. Sure, they enhance sales, but furthermore they enhance the quality of life for residents. For a luxury property in Washington, D.C., the developers took the list of features to the next level, opting to include a curated collection of fine art originals throughout the residence’s common areas. Curated by Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA), the collection at The Woodley is comprised of an eclectic mix of 45 paintings, photographs and mixed media pieces. Representing 32 artists from nine countries, the collection is elegant and expressive—and artfully juxtaposed against the property’s meticulous millwork.
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001 PICTORIAL PRECISION Golnaz Afraz, Les Marionettes, acrylic, pencil and oil on cardboard, 21.7" x 29.5"
Golnaz Afraz, Les Mangeurs de Pomme de Terre, acrylic, pencil and oil on cardboard, 21.7" x 29.5"
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THE WOODLEY RESIDENCE
002 WATCHING THE CLOCK Andre Petterson, Temporal Shift, mixed media on wood, 48" x 48"
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Knowing the target market for the property was wellheeled Washington, D.C. residents and dignitaries, FBFA wanted to create a collection’s that evoked the sense of having been acquired over time, as if it were the personal collection of an international traveler and lifelong patron of the arts. The property’s developer, JBG Companies, were on board. The Woodley represented the second time the two companies had worked together to develop a site-specific art collection; the first having been the Sheraton Premiere at Tysons Corner. “JBG came to us with great level of trust,” explains Craig David Long, Design Director at FBFA. “Because we’d worked together on Tysons Corner, they understood our storytelling approach to art collecting, and trusted our caliber of work and collaborative approach for these types of projects.” From concept development through specification finalization, FBFA not only selected work from seven galleries across North America, but also developed artist bios and concept write-ups to support and document the collection. These write-ups outlined
THE WOODLEY COLLECTION Hebert Sanchez Golnaz Afraz Corinna Wagner Nadia Tognazzo Chico Harkrader Andrei Petrov Andre Petterson Sara Robichaud Cara Barer Jim Harris Gil Haller Zoe Pawlak James Collins Siri Tenden Kesha Bruce
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001 BY THE BOOK Andrei Petrov, Carnival, oil on canvas, 48” x 30"
how each piece fit into the overall art narrative, as well gave context to the significance of each individual artist.
002 E XPRESSIVE IMPACT Hebert Sanchez, Untitled, acrylic on canvas, 79” x 39"
“We continually came back to our art narrative and asked ourselves, 'Would our hypothetical patron have collected this artist, this work?',” Long explains. “Having this conceptual framework also really helped bring variety to the collection and get consensus amongst all the project’s stakeholders. It wasn’t a question of whether a piece resonated with one project team member or another, it was a question of whether our patron would actually hang that piece on his wall.”
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THE WOODLEY RESIDENCE
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001 REVIVAL OF OLD CHARMS The 548-room Renaissance Las Vegas features a custom art collection of specialty licensed photography channeling vintage Vegas charm.
A calculated guest experience has long been part of Las Vegas's modus operandi. Floors sloped to the gaming tables, the absence of clocks, and generic guest rooms—all the tells of a deck stacked in favor of the house, aimed at separating guests from their money at a firing line of one-armed bandits. But over the last three decades, the focus has shifted from these architectural slight-of-hand tricks to
Renaissance Las Vegas
BRIGH T L IGH T S IN OL D V EG A S a genuine interest in creating an engaging guest experience throughout the entire hotel. After all, if people enjoy themselves, they’ll come back. So when interior design firm Duncan Miller Ullmann approached Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) to develop an art experience for the 548-room Renaissance Las Vegas renovation, the stakes were
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R E N A I S S A N C E L A S V EG A S
001 MAKING EYE CONTACT The wall mural at Renaissance Las Vegas — a licensed photograph from Giuliano Bekor — f eatures a striking showgirl portrait in full stage regalia.
high. But as Ariel Grue Lee, Business Development Director at FBFA explains, the Vancouver-based art consultancy is used to the high-stakes game. “Projects in Vegas can be daunting. It’s a high-profile city,” she says. “But we’ve done a lot of work here — Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, Mandalay Bay — and we love the fact that there’s such attention paid to every detail of the guest experience, including the art.” For the Renaissance Las Vegas renovation, FBFA and Duncan Miller Ullmann dug into a little Las Vegas history for the property’s artwork, focusing on classic images of showgirls and
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neon lights. While these motifs may seem expected for Las Vegas, there’s a reason they resonate. They embody the spectacle of the city, Grue Lee explains, and all that made this desert city become the Entertainment Capital of the World. “We wanted the guest room art to be immersive and energetic, just like Vegas is today,” says Grue Lee. “But we still wanted it to be connected with all the glitz and glamour that’s embodied Vegas over the years.” In the hotel suites, FBFA went with a floor-to-ceiling mural to achieve the desired impact. Roughly 16 feet wide by eight feet tall, the mural—a black and white portrait of a Vegas showgirl—is the work of Giuliano Bekor, a renowned Los Angeles-based fashion and advertising photographer. During the development of the art package, FBFA reached out to Bekor and negotiated the licensing of two images from a previous body of work, and took care of the technical production of scaling
GIULIANO BEKOR Giuliano Bekor is a fashion, celebrity, and fine art photographer whose iconic images have graced the covers of top publications globally. The heart of Giuliano’s approach is his uncompromisingly authentic spirit and contagious passion for his art. His innate, almost primal commitment drives him to pursue innovative techniques and develop the skill to invite honesty and drama from his subjects.
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“We wanted the guest room art to be immersive and energetic, just like Vegas is today.”
001 THAT VEGAS SPARK LE DWB.400.00136.1 002 BEHIND THE SCENES A licensed photograph from Giuliano Bekor.
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the images up to size and retouching them for the intended product applications within the rooms. Several artworks from FBFA’s own roster of exclusive licensed artists were also used to round out the guest room art collection. However, even with the breadth and diversity of content available, sometimes a particular project calls for original photography. In this case, FBFA shot a variety of lifestyle images in studio for printing on fabric, which was in turn wrapped and assembled on-site as part of the FF&E outfitting for the headboards. “The Renaissance Las Vegas collection really came together exquisitely,” says Grue Lee. “The commissioned photography, the licensed Bekor images and the pieces from our licensed artists make for a varied and interesting collection, one that feels deliberate and thoughtful.”
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Creating the Big Picture
CUR AT ED COL L EC T ION S Whenever Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) engages on a new project, our first step is always discovery. We work with the interior designer, brand and ownership group to gain a comprehensive understanding of the project needs, aesthetic tastes and greater vision for the property. Through this process, we develop a personalized strategy and compelling art collection narrative that reflects these particular preferences. The narrative also serves as a basis or guideline that informs the selection and creation of specific artworks and ties the collection together thematically. The result is a diversified portfolio of artwork that incorporates a range of artistic styles and mediums. Sometimes we do this just for fun. Because our in-house design team represents an international roster of painters, photographers and graphic artists, and regularly collaborates with fine art galleries, we often like to draw our own connections between works, and showcase to our partners the latest content we find inspiring. For more examples of our thoughtfully curated collections, regularly visit farmboyfinearts.com/collections.
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Deconstructing the City An exploration into urban shape and form, this collection defines and deconstructs the fragments of a modern metropolis. A study of architecture, intersection and balance, this collection ranges from two-dimensional perspectives right through to three-dimensional structures. The recurring geometry that surrounds pedestrians is re-interpreted and reflected in refreshingly fluid artworks with a hint of zen for urban retreat. A homage to the streetscape.
ABOVE Felicity Carter Maxime Boisvert RIGHT Ajay Malghan
ABOVE Marta Baricsa
ABOVE Lukia Costello
ABOVE Matt Shlian RIGHT Arian Camilleri
One Moment, Please Why do we take the photos we take? What is in that angle, that light, that moment, that we find we want to hold onto it forever? Celebrating our ability to keep and capture otherwise fleeting feelings, this collection is the traveler's ultimate keepsake—the sights they saw, the music they heard, the culture they came to love. Moments that might have existed only in the mind are forever kept in a snapshot. As Marc Riboud so adequately put it: “Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every one hundredth of a second.”
ABOVE Melissa Gidney Skip Hunt RIGHT Steven Errico
ABOVE Madison Killough
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEF T Arian Camilleri Alexis Gerard Steven Errico Jordan Hilliard
ABOVE Alexis Gerard David Becker LEF T Skip Hunt
Natural Surrender What has more sophistication and history than the earth and ocean itself? And what better compliment to a coastal sojourn than a collection of fresh, elemental artworks? Here are a selection with traditional subject matter made modern by soft, minimal approaches to photography, sculpture and watercolor painting. Tranquil and serene sea tones and tactile materials relax the eye and provide new and delightful ways to view nature.
ABOVE David Dean RIGHT Rafaella Petrolacci
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEF T Yvonne Boyd Alexis Gerard Yvonne Boyd Rafaella Petrolacci
ABOVE Jordan Hilliard
ABOVE Atticus Adams
ABOVE Fatima Travassos Alexis Gerard
Foreign Correspondence Layered patterns, bold gestures, and golden hues, this collection has an eye for the exotic and emphasizes dramatic artworks with emotional impact. This diverse and eclectic group brings the lyricism of ancient poetry and traditional proverbs into contemporary context, evoking the wondrous feeling of being home from abroad.
ABOVE Jordan Hilliard RIGHT Martha Sturdy
ABOVE Stef fen Quong
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEF T Jordan Hilliard Rafaella Petrolacci Vasi Petoussis Felicity Carter
ABOVE Rafaella Petrolacci LEF T Fatima Travassos
FORECA S T Each month Farmboy Fine Arts (FBFA) puts together a newsletter for our subscriber base of interior designers, purchasing agents, brand contacts, ownership groups, contributing artists, gallerists, and members of the general public who just love what we do. Its our way of highlighting recent, noteworthy projects, as well as inspiring our subscribers with a series of curated collections like those seen on the preceding pages. We also call-out to artists for in-demand content. When we look back on the last 12 months of newsletters, suddenly some strong art and design trends from the preceding year start to emerge. Here are some of keywords we noticed in 2014—direction we anticipate will continue to flourish.
HANDMADE FOUND OBJECTS WALL SCULPTURE AND THREE DIMENSIONAL WORKS OF ART ABSTR ACT PAINTING AND PAINTERLY WORKS WHIMSICAL ILLUSTR ATIONS SCENES FROM NATURE THE SE ASONS GEODES, MINER ALS, ROCKS AND CRYSTALS 'THE MODERN FARMHOUSE' ECLECTIC/ RESIDENTIAL TR ANSITIONAL HERITAGE /CONTEMPOR ARY MID-CENTURY MODERN THE WORLD TR AVELER OR 'GLOBAL NOMAD' BALINESE- AND MOROCCAN-INSPIRED MOTIFS TRIBAL PAT TERNS PHOTO FILTERS AND ‘THE INSTAGR AM AESTHETIC’ R AILROAD AND SHIPYARD INDUSTRIAL HISTORICAL FIGURES AND DR AWINGS FLIGHT AND AVIATION URBAN CYCLING CROWDS AND BE ACHES HORSES ANIMAL PORTR AITS BIRDS AND FE ATHERS 1950S FASHION AND LIFEST YLE BE AUT Y SHOTS MENSWE AR PROHIBITION ER A ART DECO
To subscribe to our newsletter, visit farmboyfinearts.com/newsletter To submit artwork for consideration, visit farmboyfinearts.com/contact
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