Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel Welcomes Megan Woodard Johnson as New Artist in Residence

09.30.24

Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel Welcomes Megan Woodard Johnson as New Artist in Residence

Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel, an award-winning arts hotel owned and managed by Marcus^® Hotels & Resorts, today announced Megan Woodard Johnson, a mixed-media abstract artist from West Bend, Wis., as its newest Artist in Residence.

The year-long residency program for Midwest-based artists provides working space in the hotel's studio, allowing artists to continue creating while also interacting with hotel guests. Johnson is Saint Kate's third Artist in Residence. The public is invited to join Saint Kate in welcoming Johnson during Fall Gallery Night on Friday, Oct. 18. Her artwork will be on display in Saint Kate's Artist in Residence studio where she will be available to discuss her art, her creative process, and her vision for the Artist in Residence program.

"Saint Kate is known for creating unique connections with everyone who visits," said Linda Marcus, one of Saint Kate's visionaries and a nationally recognized multidisciplinary artist, designer, and storyteller. "By selecting Megan as Saint Kate's third Artist in Residence, we've found someone who deeply values connection and shared experiences. Her work invites people to engage, connect, and leave their own imprint. Both guests and locals will have the chance to witness Megan's abstract creations unfold in real time, offering a deeper understanding of her art and the profound impact of personal connection."

Megan Woodard Johnson's Upcoming Residency at Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel

Johnson's art is inspired by how accumulated everyday experiences create personal histories. Her abstract work explores memory and nostalgia and is infused with the enjoyment found in discovering what are often shared common memories with apparent strangers.

"I'm excited to spend a year at Saint Kate having conversations, sharing experiences with guests and visitors, and discovering how their experiences and anecdotes show up in my work," said Johnson. "Saint Kate is known for creating immersive opportunities to connect people to each other and the arts, in all its forms. This is a perfect opportunity, as I'm equally inspired by my own experiences and by discovering how much we all tend to have in common. A short conversation with a 'stranger' can quickly reveal shared core memories, forging an immediate, happy bond."

By combining vintage paper ephemera - items that were intended to be discarded after use such as ticket stubs, postcards and newspapers, paint, various drawing media, and found objects - Johnson creates heavily layered mixed media paintings with bold color, strong composition, and rich detail. Johnson's work evokes joy, sparks curiosity, and encourages close inspection. Her residency will be spent engaging with visitors in the studio, gathering more and more points of connection, and letting the work she creates tell the stories she collects.

Johnson has been an artist since she could hold a crayon and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and printmaking from Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, in 1996. Her work hangs in private and corporate collections across and beyond the United States and is represented in multiple U.S. galleries. She has shown in numerous juried group and solo exhibitions, taught workshops, and completed multiple artist residencies. Johnson has also curated exhibitions and built connections with artists around the globe by offering courses and small-group mentorships.

Guests are invited to meet Johnson in her studio or during her AIR Time: Art & Studio Tour on Saturdays at 5 p.m., beginning in October, where they can tour the hotel's permanent art collection, feature exhibitions and the residency's space. In addition to the AIR Time: Art & Studio Tours, guests and local visitors can visit Johnson's studio during the following days and hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays (10:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.), Fridays (noon - 7 p.m.), Saturdays (10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.) and alternating Sundays (10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.). For more information on opportunities to visit and engage with Johnson, please visit Saint Kate's events calendar.

About Saint Kate's Artist in Residence Program

Saint Kate's Artist in Residence program offers Midwest-based artists working in any art form or medium a year-long residency inside the hotel's studio to devote time to their practice while gathering inspiration from Saint Kate's guests. Throughout the residency, guests are invited to visit the Artist in Residence studio to interact directly with the artist and witness their art evolve over time. The Artist in Residence also hosts events, talks and tours where guests can learn more about their artform and unique process. During the residency, the Artist in Residence will create a legacy piece that will become part of Saint Kate's permanent art collection. To learn more about the first-of-its-kind Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel and its extensive art programming, please visit: www.saintkatearts.com.

About Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel

Recognized as one of Milwaukee's most esteemed hotels with an elite award repertoire, Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel is among the first hotels in the nation to broadly celebrate the arts in its many forms - from painting and sculpture to music, poetry and performing arts. With a prime location in the city's Theater District and within walking distance of notable arts and entertainment attractions, the Third Ward and Fiserv Forum, Saint Kate serves as a creative hub for the city offering intimate and immersive arts experiences. Its blend of exceptional hospitality and unmatched dedication to the arts serves as a platform for exploration, connection and expression. For more information or to book reservations, please visit: https://www.saintkatearts.com and follow the property on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

About Marcus Hotels & Resorts
Marcus Hotels & Resorts owns and/or manages 16 hotels, resorts and other properties in the U.S., including Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel. The company's distinctive portfolio includes city-center meeting hotels, upscale resorts, historic properties, and premium branded and independent first-class hotels. Marcus Hotels & Resorts is an approved operator for all major lodging brands. A leader in the hospitality industry since 1962, Marcus Hotels & Resorts creates asset value for hotel owners through its expertise in management, development and product repositioning. This includes unique food and beverage concepts, developed by Marcus Hotels & Resorts, such as Mason Street Grill, ARIA Restaurant, Milwaukee ChopHouse, Miller Time^® Pub & Grill, and SafeHouse^® Restaurant. For more information, please visit: http://media.marcushotels.com and follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.