Affairs happen in hotel rooms all the time, but not the kind of affair that happens each July at Fairfield Inn & Suites in Moscow.
About a dozen artists will take over rooms at the hotel Wednesday, turning them into art galleries for one night. People will be invited to wander through. Wine and beer will be for sale, and there will be live music by Ukulele Players of the Palouse.
“It’s really to just highlight local artists, celebrate individuality and get away from the art gallery feel of walking through the gallery with your hands by your sides and you don’t touch anything. It’s traditionally more hands-on and interactive,” said Jamie Hill, who is coordinating the event for Appearances Marketing.
Each artist gets a hotel room and is welcome to turn it into any kind of gallery they want, she said.
“We’ve had artists in the past who have brought in massive structures. Others lay their work out on the bed. Last year, Moscow’s poet laureate laid in bed and read from her work.”
Hill is the operations manager for the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre, which will have a movie-themed room with popcorn, soda, candy and some kind of movie art, like posters or cartoons. Other media this year includes acrylic pour painting, jewelry and saw blade paintings. Some of the work will be for sale, Hill said. There will also be a community art project, a large-scale coloring sheet that visitors can work on.
The free event is open to all ages and is run like an open house.
“People can basically hop from mini gallery to mini gallery.”
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Art Affair
WHEN: 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 18
WHERE: Fairfield Inn & Suites, 1000 W. Pullman Rd., Moscow
COST: Free
Caption: For Art Affair artists convert hotel rooms into mini-galleries like this one featuring work by a local photographer at last year’s event.
