Inside Wayfinder Newport's 1,000-Piece Art Collection

Newport has long been synonymous with gilded mansions, yacht clubs, and old-money nostalgia, an image that has defined the city’s hospitality landscape for generations. Wayfinder Newportoffers a different read on the destination, one rooted in craft and the people living and creating there today. The boutique hotel, founded by Phil Hospod, developed by Dovetail + Co, and designed in collaboration with New York-based firm Reunion Goods & Services, reflects a fresh take on coastal style built from cool tones, antique finds, and custom furnishings. At the heart of the property is a 1,000-piece art collection spotlighting Rhode Island artists, alongside standout details like Sean Spellman’s hand-painted pool, rendered in his signature rolling sea motif. Hospod talks to Surface about how that collection came together, the thinking behind the hotel’s design, and what it means to build a Newport property that focuses on the present.

The property houses a 1,000-piece art collection spotlighting Rhode Island artists. How did that collection come together, and what was the curatorial vision behind it?

Looking through a local lens is at the heart of the Wayfinder brand. We wanted guests to feel immersed in modern Newport, this spectacular place. What better way to do that than with artwork by the people who call it home? From day one we knew we wanted to highlight the creators in Rhode Island’s thriving art scene, the artists who find inspiration in its landscape, its people, its history, who thrive living and creating here. Newport didn’t need another hotel filled with sailboats, anchors, or Gilded Age motifs, but something that reflected what it’s like to live in and love this stunning state today.

How did the team select the artists and pieces? Is there an open call or submission process, or is it more relationship-driven within the local community?

It was much more word of mouth. We put feelers out into the community, visited galleries and studios, found artists online and social media, met them in person, really just pounded the pavement. We also scoured local antique shops to fill out the collection with vintage finds from the area.

With a collection this large, how do you decide what is displayed where?

We let the art itself drive those decisions. Some artists work on a smaller scale, so those pieces lent themselves more naturally to vignettes in a guest room or elsewhere. For example Jenny Brown’s dreamy, winsome collages on vintage Rhode Island postcards were perfect to highlight on room keys and stationery.

Sean Spellman’s hand-painted pool is an incredible signature piece, how did that collaboration come about?

We met Sean through Read McKendree, a brilliant Rhode Island-based photographer, who shot all of Wayfinder Newport’s commercial photography. Like Read’s, Sean’s work is so distinctive and evocative, we knew he’d create something special. We visited Sean out in Westerly, Rhode Island to meet in person and talk about the project. It was like a date, and it just clicked. After that conversation, we said, ‘What about a mural? In and around the pool?’ Thankfully, Sean was game, shared his vision for the wave motif, and ran with it. It turned out to be iconic.

Does the collection rotate or evolve over time, or is it fixed?

Fixed but we added a few new pieces during the renovation. We also collaborate with artists ongoing- like an outdoor mural in the works and custom notecards being created for our merch area.

How did you approach designing a property that intentionally breaks from that while still satisfying guests who come to Newport a sense of that history?

Rather than replicating Newport’s traditional aesthetic, Wayfinder Newport was created to redefine the typical Newport experience by representing Rhode Island’s contemporary creative community. At the same time, the design incorporates references to the region’s heritage through antique finds, individually sourced vintage trunks from Rhode Island antique markets, and other collected details that nod to the area’s storied past. This balance allows the hotel to offer a fresh, free-spirited perspective while maintaining a connection to Newport’s history.

You worked with Reunion Goods & Services on the interiors, how did “coastal nostalgia” translate into actual design decisions?

Working with Reunion Goods & Services, the interiors take a fresh, contemporary approach to coastal style through a palette of cool tones, antique finds, custom furnishings, and locally sourced artwork that give the spaces a collected, personal feel. Individual design details reinforce that vision, offering a nod to the region’s history while pairing them with contemporary local art and custom furnishings. The result balances relaxed coastal ease with thoughtful curation.

Since antique finds and custom furnishings are highlighted, where do those antiques come from?

Antique and vintage furnishings throughout the hotel are sourced from Rhode Island antique markets including the individually sourced trunks that are repurposed as nightstands.

How does showcasing local artists serve the broader mission of representing Rhode Island’s creative community?

Wayfinder Newport was developed by bringing together local chefs, bartenders, artists, designers, and entrepreneurs to create a property that redefines the traditional Newport experience. In a destination known for its gilded history, the hotel was designed to represent Rhode Island’s new “creative class” with a more relaxed, free-spirited energy. The all–Rhode Island art collection is an extension of that mission, placing local artists at the center of the guest experience.