Hotel Ella
“I loved the Texas modernist art throughout the hotel, handpicked by curator Ana Stapleton.”
BECK BAMBINGER
From Hip to Historical, Two Outstanding Austin Hotels To Stay At This Summer
Forbes
When New Waterloo bought the iconic Wooten mansion in 2012, their mission was to modernize the property while honoring the rich history of the 100+ year old home, originally built by University of Texas founder Thomas Wooten as a wedding present to his son Goodall and daughter-in-law Ella. History and a sense of place inspired the renovation, a celebration of both legacy and fresh possibility.
Once the Michael Hsu/Studio MAI remodel was complete, the partners brought me in to add a final layer of warmth and detail. They asked what I might add that would both delight the guests and infuse the space with meaning. It could be anything: art supplies in the rooms as a nod to the Charles Umlauf sculptures installed across the property? Local artwork? Additional decor?
A visit to a small design studio led me to an uncanny discovery – a collection of mid-century sketches by the UT art professors hired by Charles Umlauf in the 1950’s and 60’s. With a tie to the university and history, these works made the mansion sing.
We framed and installed the vintage art in the guest rooms, hallways, and dining room to highlight the historical relationship between the mansion and UT, using a mix of old and new frames on the vintage art and layering contemporary art in found frames from thrift stores and flea markets.
Salon Series
Soon after we installed original Texas modernist sketches at Hotel Ella, guests and visitors began to ask about the pieces. Some wanted to know the story behind the art, and some wanted to buy the artwork itself. At the same time, New Waterloo was looking for opportunities to create community at the hotel. After an afternoon of brainstorming, the Hotel Ella Salon Series was born. We envisioned a salon-style format engaging locals and guests that would also honor the legacy of the mansion’s original occupants, as the Wooten family had been faithful UT stewards, hosting meetings and parties in their home.
For the launch, we asked the collector who’d sold us the vintage sketches if he’d be interested in hosting an intimate conversation about the art. As both a great storyteller and scholar, he knew equal parts history and juicy backstory of the period and the works. The talk was free, open to the public, and available to the first 75 people who responded. That first talk was followed by programming that has expanded over time to include musicians, filmmakers, authors, artists, and makers.
