Culture / Travel

Houston’s New Art Hotel Lures Major Museum VIPs and Big Money Collectors

The Reimagined Lancaster Hotel Sure Knows How to Party

BY // 02.26.19

Not every hotel can lure a group of tony museum trustees and collectors in for a tour, let alone make an entire evening of it.

One of the first cocktail parties at the newly imagined Lancaster Hotel — Houston’s art hotel — saw the Lancaster’s principal partner Jay Shinn in from Dallas to personally welcome the arts-savvy Contemporary Arts Museum Houston’s Collectors Circle and Patrons Circle groups.

Shinn, whose also an internationally shown artist with studios in Dallas, New York and Berlin (see his light work here), relayed the highlights of the paintings, photography, works on paper and sculpture that grace the historic Theater District property.

The Lancaster opened its doors in 1926 at the Auditorium Hotel. Early guests included performers at the nearby theaters such as aspiring actor Clark Gable.

Flash forward 90-some years: Shinn discussed his journey as a collector and patron, and singled out works lining the Lancaster’s walls, halls and lobby, reflective of the hotel’s embrace of Texas artists.

On view and in the collection are talents such as Mark Flood, James Surls, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Aaron Parazette, Margo Sawyer, Allison V. Smith and Robert Rauschenberg, many of whom have been CAMH headliners.

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The hotel’s signature restaurant, Cultivated F+B, catered the arty night. More on the Lancaster’s collection and storied history here.

PC Seen: Interim museum director Christina Brungardt, joined by curators Dean Daderko and recent hire Rebecca Matalon; as well as collector and patron types including gallerist Nancy Littlejohn, Liz and David Anders, Lisa and Russell Sherrill, Blakely and Trey Griggs, Cody Fitzsimmons and Christopher Scott, Foto Relevance’s Bryn Larsen and Geoffrey Koslov, Mary and Marcel BaroneBeverly RobinsonRuth Dreessen and Tom Van Laan, Alisha and Emmanuel Criner, Cabrina OwsleyCandace Baggett and Ron Restrepo, James Bell, Sara Cain, Frances Lummis, and Hillary Naeve. 

And save the date: CAMH 70th Anniversary Gala and Art Auction, Freeze Frame, Friday, April 12, at the museum; tickets and details here.

Artwork images courtesy The Lancaster Hotel Collection 

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