A dining room showcasing interior designer Robyn Scott’s “artitexture” concept

 
  Jim Toia’s spore drawings, called Bloom Series, line a hallway at The Little Nell Residences

Visit the great hotels of the world and chances are you’ll find they’ve got an art collection worthy of a gallery. In fact, hotels are using their walls as galleries in an effort to distinguish their properties amongst discriminating travelers. Often hotels will have amassed a collection that reflects their sense of place, style of architecture or ownership’s point of view.

The Little Nell and Aspen/Snowmass Curate Collections
At the private Residences at The Little Nell, art is a vital part of the interiors. With photographs by Ferenc Berko and custom sculpture by James Surls, among other works, art is dominant in both the public spaces and 26 private residences. “These are not just pictures on a wall. Everything is placed and designed with the artwork in mind,” says general manager Sarah Bay. “It all works together.” To reflect the importance of its artwork, the Residences published an oversize glossy book detailing its expansive collection, which were given as gifts to all owners, says Bay.

Other Aspen Skiing Company-affiliated properties also focus on art. This year Aspen/Snowmass installed a multisite exhibition of 12 photographic compositions by renowned artist Walter Niedermayr. His large-scale photographs, entitled The Aspen Series, are featured at Ski Co-owned venues and locations through the end of the 2012 winter season. A map brochure acts as a guide to the exhibition, and there is also a cell phone audio tour available that features observations by the artist and other guest commentators from the worlds of both snow sports and the fine arts.

Interior Designers Take Art to New Lengths
Interior designer Robyn Scott, who designs home as well as commercial spaces, has taken the art-inclusive concept one step further. By combining art, architecture and texture in her harmonious interior designs, Scott has created a concept she calls “artitexture.” “Art is not just a wall covering,” Scott says. “Art is so personal for clients. They have to have a story behind it.”

For commercial projects in the Roaring Fork Valley, Scott prefers to use works by local artists such as Barbara Sorensen and those from the Patton Print Shop at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center—pieces that are often abstract landscapes or otherwise reflect the city’s unique location. “That’s why I like Aspen,” she says. “It is such a great art environment. There are a lot of hidden artists who haven’t had a chance to get their work out there in front of an international clientele.”