The AAA Four-Diamond Pfister® Hotel in Search of its Next Great Artist to Serve as Hotel’s Ninth Artist in Residence

Milwaukee, Wis., November 10, 2016 – The AAA Four-Diamond Pfister Hotel, owned and managed by Marcus Hotels & Resorts, is in search of its next Artist in Residence. Entering its ninth year, The Pfister Hotel’s internationally recognized Artist-in-Residence program is an opportunity for an artist to be at the forefront of Milwaukee’s art scene, showcasing his or her work in a studio gallery on the first floor of Milwaukee’s most prestigious hotel.

Launched in 2009, The Pfister’s Artist-in-Residence program allows local artists to share their work and interact with guests one-on-one in the studio gallery or at art receptions, gallery nights, classes and events hosted by the resident artist.  The next artist, succeeding abstract expressionist painter Pamela Anderson, will move into the studio space April 1, 2017, and will continue working at the hotel for a one-year period.

Each year, a committee of influential art enthusiasts from throughout the Milwaukee community selects The Pfister’s resident artist from a pool of highly qualified candidates.  The committee takes into account the artist’s vision for the gallery space, his or her body of work during the residency, artistic process, personality and a public vote.  The selected artist works in The Pfister Hotel’s art studio and gallery that is open to hotel guests and the public. The program encourages visitors to interact with the artist, while watching the evolution of each piece of work firsthand.

“It’s amazing to see the talent and vision of the artists that have worked in our studio gallery.  Now in our ninth year, the program continues to evolve as we begin to augment some of the resident artist pieces as well as feature prints in our tower guestrooms.  We look forward to meeting our next resident artist and seeing his or her work come to life,” said Tim Smith, general manager of The Pfister Hotel.

Pamela Anderson, current resident artist, said the Artist-in-Residence program has given her a deeper perspective about herself as an artist, “The most meaningful element of The Pfister residency thus far has been the dialogues that I have engaged with in both visitors to the hotel and staff.  Describing my work and process with individuals has given me new insights into my work that I feel would not have surfaced without those conversations.  It is a very nurturing environment as an artist and it has been a wonderful opportunity to grow, learn and reflect.”

The deadline to apply for the program is December 5, 2016.  Interested artists can download the application online at http://www.thepfisterhotel.com/artist-in-residence.

In the years since its inception in 2009, The Pfister’s Artist-in-Residence program has been critically lauded as not only a pioneering Wisconsin Artist-in-Residence program, but as an example of a hotel taking its dedication to the local community above and beyond traditional expectations. With a deep appreciation and connection to the arts, launching an Artist-in-Residence program was a natural step for The Pfister Hotel, and in the years since, each artist that has held the residency has helped to grow and evolve the program to its current incarnation today.  Marcus Hotels & Resorts has introduced similar Artist-in-Residence programs at additional owned proprieties including The Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City, Okla. and The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, Neb.

About The Pfister’s Artist-in-Residence Program

Entering its ninth year, The Pfister’s Artist-in-Residence program features a working art studio and gallery that is open to hotel guests and visitors. The program encourages the public to interact with the artist and witness the evolution of each piece firsthand.

Over the years, The Pfister has received national attention for its Artist-in-Residence program. Since 2009, the hotel has been a member of the Alliance of Artist Communities, http://www.artistcommunities.org, an international association of artists’ communities and residencies featuring a diverse field of more than 1,000 programs worldwide.

The program’s current artist is Pamela Anderson (2016-2017), www.pamelaandersonstudio.com. Past artists include Todd Mrozinski (2015-2016), www.toddmrozinski.com, Niki Johnson (2014-2015), www.nikijohnson.com; Stephanie Barenz (2013-2014), stephaniebarenz.com; Timothy Westbrook (2012-2013), https://unicorns.carbonmade.com; Shelby Keefe (2011-2012), http://www.studioshelby.com; Katie Musolff (2010-2011), http://www.katiemusolff.com; and Reginald Baylor (2009-2010), http://www.reginaldbaylor.com.

About The Pfister Hotel

The Pfister Hotel has been the premier hotel in downtown Milwaukee for over 120 years. Originally built in 1893 by businessman Guido Pfister, it was the most lavish hotel of its time. The hotel’s storied elegance had faded following World War II, until 1962, when Ben Marcus, founder of The Marcus Corporation, purchased this grand hotel out of bankruptcy. The Marcus family renovated and restored the hotel to its original glory, adding convention facilities, a parking garage and 23-story guest tower. The Pfister Hotel remains home to the largest collection of Victorian art of any hotel in the world, and recently unveiled an interactive augmented reality tour of pieces in this impressive collection.

Today the Pfister Hotel continues its tradition of gracious service and impeccable style, and has been recognized for 39 consecutive years by AAA as a Four-Diamond property. The hotel is also an ongoing member of two prestigious organizations, Historic Hotels of America and Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. The Pfister Hotel is located at 424 E. Wisconsin Ave. in downtown Milwaukee. More information and updates on the hotel can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thePfisterHotel and on Twitter (@PfisterHotel).

About Marcus Hotels & Resorts

Marcus Hotels & Resorts owns and/or manages 18 hotels, resorts and other properties in the U.S. A leader in the hospitality industry since 1962, Marcus Hotels & Resorts creates asset value for hotel owners through its expertise in management, development and product repositioning, including hotel food and beverage concepts developed by its Marcus Restaurant Group. The company’s distinctive portfolio includes city-center meeting hotels, upscale resorts, historic properties, and premium branded and independent first-class hotels. Marcus Hotels & Resorts is an approved operator for all major lodging brands. For more information follow the company on Facebook and Twitter (@MarcusHotels).

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.