“Art is always the
finishing touch
that elevates
any interior from
average to
spectacular.”
—KRIS GEBHARDT, ARTIST AND CO-DESIGNER OF THE
SPAS AT FRENCH LICK RESORT, FRENCH LICK, INDIANA
“Much like spa treatments that relax, energize and stimulate the senses through touch, smell and feel, a well-installed
fine art exhibit will greatly enhance the guest experience by
adding the visual element of stimulating and energizing the
senses,” Gebhardt says.
Like Gebhardt, Chris Birchby, founder and CEO of COOLA
Suncare, based in Oceanside, California, also believes in the
visual power of art. “Good art stimulates. Whether visual,
visceral, emotional and/or intellectual, art can open up
dialogues and become more than simply a design element,”
says Birchby, who is an artist and art collector himself.
“A lot of the artworks in our office are paintings I have
created myself,” he says. Prior to starting COOLA, Birchby
earned his Master of Fine Arts degree at the Art Center
College of Design in Pasadena, California. “I spent several
years pursuing art until the COOLA business took off which
required all my attention.”
Collecting Art
“Art can and should be an extension of your business or spa’s
personality,” Birchby says. “When collecting, it’s important to
pick art that really resonates with you and/or your business
philosophy. Art should be an outward expression of your
company culture.”
As a collector, he looks for artworks with a strong statement. “I am drawn toward contemporary artists who make
bold work, particularly paintings,” he says.
His art collection is varied and consists of works from
artists like Bernard Frize, Friedrich Kunath, Austin Lee, Devin
Troy Strother, Trudy Benson, Zhao Zhao, Michael Vasquez,
Uwe Kowski, Ingrid Calame, Christopher Johanson, Jason
Yates, Andy Alexander, Laura Owens, Roger Herman,
Sebastian Errazuruiz and Wes Lang, among others.
“At COOLA, we invest in art through both traditional galleries and nonprofit auctions. Over the last couple of years,
we’ve supported over a dozen nonprofit organizations and, in
the process, built a really cool art collection,” he says. Birchby
also scours auctions for artistic collectibles, like the autographed Bruce Springsteen electric Fender guitar which he
won at the 2013 ISPA Conference & Expo. For online art auctions, he recommends the art auction website paddle8.com.
Art as Investment
In partnership with the Spas at French Lick Resort Spa
Director Kim Allen, the Gerhardt couple brought a contemporary flair to the spa’s space. Through the Gebhardt Gallery, the
artists brought their own art—a collection of original sculptures, mixed media and paintings—into the spa.
“French Lick Resort is a resort destination that is built on the
‘wow’ factor. The spa art selection needed to reflect art pieces
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