Unique Artistic Additions at the Antlers at Vail
It’s official – the Antlers at Vail has a beautiful, spacious new lobby and a speedy new elevator that accesses all floors of the hotel. Local interior design firm Casey St. John has crafted bespoke interiors for the new space. Large windows pour natural light into the new lobby and elevator foyer. General Manager, Magdalena King, wanted to tie together these new spaces with art that would not only adorn the lobby, but would be unique to the Antlers. She wanted this art to enhance our guests’ and homeowners’ feeling of being in the mountains. She sought to commission two very talented artists to help her achieve this goal. Enter artists Cindee Lundin and Bonnie Wakeman who have fulfilled this vision and created one-of-a-kind pieces for the Antlers at Vail.
Cindee Lundin, Faux Bois Artist
I had the opportunity to talk with Cindee Lundin a few weeks back, and had the pleasure of asking her questions about her as an artist and the pieces she has created for the Antlers at Vail. Cindee was an educator, and also painted murals in people’s homes. She has always had a knack for painting and enjoys it immensely. While studying to continue her career as an educator, one of her clients encouraged her to study art and painting instead.
On the way to Artistry
Cindee felt compelled to study art and wanted to pursue her passion. She changed fields of study, and began studying art fundamentals and art history. Cindee has now been creating art for her clients for 25 years. Cindee is intrigued by concrete faux bois art. Concrete faux bois is the artistic rendition of creating the appearance of wood grain using cement, stones, and gems. Faux bois art is now recognizable by many. Martha Stewart even began featuring her own faux bois collection a few years ago. Cindee is proud to create faux bois pieces and enjoys being part of this artistic movement.
Custom Faux Boix Panels for the Antlers at Vail
The collection she has created for the Antlers at Vail is all original and unique to the hotel. There are 73 pieces in all. From Cindee’s Artist Statement; Images of mountains are carved into concrete, trees are represented in the faux bois panels, the minerals and the riches of the mountain are symbolized with natural stone elements, semi-precious gemstones and crystals. The movement of the mountain streams are also represented throughout the compositions. The connection between us and nature is strong here. Cindee will be in residence with us in the spring of 2020 when she will install her faux bois panels.
Bonnie Wakeman, Sculpted Relief Artist
A sculpted and painted scene of a majestic elk in front of the Gore Range is one of the first decorative elements you will notice upon entering the Antlers lobby. Bonnie Wakeman recently completed this sculpted relief when she was in residence at Antlers last month. Bonnie was gracious enough to take some time away from creating the sculpted relief to speak with me about the piece she has created and her journey as an artist.
From Illustrator to Sculptor
Bonnie’s background is in illustration and design. She moved to the mountains in the early nineties. Bonnie began painting murals in her clients’ homes in Keystone, Breckenridge, and Vail. In 1995 her and her husband took a trip to Italy where she noticed sculpted relief everywhere. She wanted to bring this back to the US and so began crafting a plaster medium which can be sculpted wet and dry. Everything she has worked on in her life has come together in this art form. The pieces she creates involve mountain scenes and aspen groves, African safaris and lions, as well as any other scene her clients bring inspiration and passion to. She enjoys bringing the beauty of nature indoors through sculpted relief. Every blank wall she sees now looks to her a fresh canvas.
A Sculpted Relief that just suits the Antlers
The incorporation of antlers through a bull elk and the Gore Range in the background is one of the elements of this piece that she loves most. The aspens give the impression of being in a grove as the limbs even wrap around the adjacent walls. She has enjoyed partnering with the Antlers at Vail to create a piece that was exciting for her to design, sculpt, and paint.
We are delighted to share these talented artists’ work with our guests and homeowners.
Are you interested in commissioning art similar to what you have experienced at the Antlers at Vail for your own home or business? Please visit Cindee Lundin’s website Sticks and Stones Decor and Bonnie Wakeman’s website Transforming Walls to contact the artists directly.
Click or tap on a thumbnail below to view Cindee’s and Bonnie’s art at the Antlers at Vail.
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