The Best Hotel Art Collections in Fort Worth — Modern, Western, and Pablo Picasso

It’s usually other cities in Texas that get credited for their art scenes. Dallas, Austin, and Houston all tout fabulous art museums and collections, but Fort Worth also has a thriving art scene as well, and that art spews from museums to surrounding hotels. Not your typical half-baked hotel art, these four properties across Panther City have thoughtful, curated collections that create an inviting, stylish space you’ll want to spend time in.

These are the best hotel art collections in Fort Worth.

The Crescent Hotel

In the Cultural District near The Modern, Amon Carter, and Kimbell art museums, The Crescent Hotel is a purposeful extension of the city’s world-class art scene. The hotel’s art collection and program, run by John Runyon of Runyon Arts, includes mixed media, photography, and sculpture, with over 20 pieces scattered throughout the hotel. The collection, which covers realism to abstraction, includes national and international artists. See Matt Kleberg’s vibrant Twister Totem, which is a nod to the Kimbell’s arches, and Jose Dávila’s 9-foot-tall Joint Effort, a sculpture that questions balance, stillness, and tension.

Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection

Bowie House owner Jo Ellard wanted to not only open a luxury property in Cowtown but also have the hotel be a living, breathing art gallery. And that’s exactly what Bowie House is. You can’t pin down the artistic style here, as you’ll find touches of Western, modern, and fine art through mixed media, photography, and paintings. Every piece you see is available for purchase, and the hotel does around four art exhibitions a year, featuring talks with featured artists.

Don’t be afraid to open a door or two to explore, as many spaces might seem closed off or like a private club space, but it’s all open for exploration. Don’t miss Max Zorn’s cityscape piece in the living room, made completely of layers of packing tape, and Fort Worth native Jacob Lovett’s western yet modern oil paintings. In total, more than two dozen artists are featured, and art tours are available to the public every Tuesday and Saturday.

Hotel Drover

From the Neon Cowboy outside of Hotel Drover to the six-foot-tall mixed bronze sculpted drover in the lobby and everything in between, the artwork here is an homage to the American West, with photography, oil on canvas, lithographs, glassworks, and hand-tooled leather pieces. Everywhere you look, from inside the armoire in each room to the hand-painted pool tiles, you’ll find artwork.

There’s a small, original Picasso drawing in the lobby, and outside in the backyard, “Dolly” and “Daisy” are two pin-up style murals done by Jana Renée exclusively for Hotel Drover. They even change clothing and scenery with the season, so you’ll get festive Dolly and Daisy at Christmastime and summer-themed girls in warmer months. Don’t miss the towering iron and glass chandelier by Hans Duus or the powerful Fleeing Hell’s Fury — Range Fire (oil on linen) by Kim Wiggins that depicts westward expansion. There’s also a Marilyn Monroe-style cowgirl (holographic effect on mirror), glass-emblazoned guitars by Dallas artist Amy Voss, and so much more.

Hotel Dryce

Near Dickies Arena, Hotel Dryce is a boutique property with a contemporary design, and the artwork here mimics those design choices. Photography in the lobby and guest rooms is by local photographer Guillermo Tapia and features Fort Worthians from across the city, including artists, musicians, activists, and entrepreneurs. Welcome to Funky Town, which hangs behind the front desk, is by fiber artist Niki Dionne, and A Rainbow to Me, a mixed media piece by Texas-based painter Brenda Ciardiello, is a love letter to her son that hangs permanently in Dryce. Hotel Dryce was even featured in season two of Handcrafted Hotels, which tells the story of the transformation of the former dry ice factory and Fort Worth’s vibrant art scene.