Baylor, who began the yearlong residency in April,works in the studio about four days a week. Within this space filled withbrushes, acrylic colors and huge canvases, Baylor interacts with the bustlinglobby clientele, corporate staff and international guests enjoying thePfister’s amenities. The open studio invites hotel guests and the community atlarge to visit Baylor’s workstation, watch him create a canvas from start tofinish, discuss the process one on one, or even purchase a painting.
The Pfister’s impressive architecture and extensiveVictorian art collection have influenced Baylor’s creative process. In additionto the Old World marble surrounding hisstudio, specific paintings from the hotel’s collection have inspired him. Inone example, elements from the painting titled A Captive led Baylor to incorporate putti, or winged angels, andCorinthian columns into new compositions. October signals the halfway point ofthis artistic experiment, but Baylor says he will continue to produce a seriesof paintings based on the hotel after finishing the program.
The Pfister’s artist-in-residence program alsofostered a collaborative endeavor with the InterContinentalHotel. Baylor and future participants will curate several exhibitions inconjunction with the InterContinental, including a premiere show scheduled forNovember, titled “How Many Flowers Does It Take to Make a Bouquet?” Thisexhibition features seven Midwest artists tohighlight the application process for next year’s residency and presentspainters, photographers and printmakers in a variety of mediums.
Baylor says that artists applying to the programneed to be confident, in that they must clearly articulate their ideas and workin an environment in which interruptions are common. Dedication, discipline andcreativity will also factor into the final decision.
The Pfister’s artist-in-residence program aims toexpand community outreach in Milwaukeeand beyond. As Baylor says, “This program has the ability to bring worldwideattention to the city as an art center.”
