Arlington Heights Native Reed Skocz Designs Room and Installation at Milwaukee's First Arts Hotel

Reed Skocz is one of five artists to design a "Canvas Room" at the Saint Kate Hotel located in Downtown Milwaukee. Skocz was born in Chicago and grew up in Arlington Heights, participating in three exhibitions of artwork at the Arlington Heights Village Hall. He is a recent graduate of the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (2019) and was invited to design a room at The Saint Kate one year ago.

Given the opportunity to design a room at the Saint Kate Arts Hotel, Skocz was allowed to change anything to align with his artistic vision. The Saint Kate is a newly renovated hotel in downtown Milwaukee, formerly the Intercontinental. The hotel features 219 art-inspired rooms, 11,597 square feet of meeting space, a black box theatre, a Museum of Wisconsin Art gallery, and a working artist-in-residence studio, in addition to the five uniquely designed "Canvas Rooms." A portion of the proceeds from the artist designed Canvas Rooms support a local art organization.

Skocz's room is partnered with 88.9 Radio Milwaukee. When asked about the concept of his room, Skocz states, "My room explores themes from theatre and through its execution and materiality, speaks to the process of set building. The three original paintings in the room were inspired by intersecting functions of doll houses and theatre. Guests are invited to question their role and the space they inhabit when the surrounding works refer to the backdrop of performance."

Additionally, "Apparatus and Operator" a painting by Skocz was reproduced and hung in multiple guestrooms at the hotel.

For information please visit www.saintkatearts.com