South Dallas is getting a new splash of color with the rotating art displays featured at the CANVAS hotel.

The hotel—which held its grand opening party this week—features an ever-changing art gallery that was launched with the help of gallerist MK Semos and interior designer Jen Mauldin of woman-run SEMOSMAULDIN Bespoke Art Consultancy. The group teamed up to bring popular and unique local artists onto the walls of the art-centered hotel.

CANVAS is going to display both permanent and temporary pieces, with 20 different alternating works being featured at any time.

“We thought with it being a very art district location that it should be an art-focused hotel and part of what we feel is the up-and-coming art scene in Dallas,” CANVAS General Manager Jared Williams says.

The hotel, which was originally the Sears warehouse and headquarters in the early 1900s, was revamped into the NYLO Dallas Southside in 2012 before re-opening as the CANVAS Hotel in January 2019. The hotel is located in the Cedars neighborhood in South Dallas, an eclectic area of local businesses, many of which will be partnering with CANVAS to provide deals for guests.

“We feel that its a destination for trendsetters and hub for local creatives,” Williams says. “It is definitely up-and-coming. It almost has an Austin feel, if you will. It’s very artsy, hip, trendy, and given the area, we felt that it would be a perfect fit to have a hotel that is almost like a blank slate for travelers to create their own experiences.”

To give guests the complete ‘neighborhood experience,’ complimentary wine tastings and beer flights, informative sessions on local coffee shops, and shopping will all be on-hand. For example, Graffiti Collective, a new urban-inspired skincare brand, will have two of its vegan face mask products available for purchase at the front desk and in the hotel rooms.

Hotel guests will also have the opportunity to purchase the art that is displayed in the rooms and around the hotel. By purchasing the Curator’s Package, guests can receive a $250 credit toward a piece of art, a personal consultation session with one of the CANVAS art advisors, and an opportunity to set up a meet-and-greet with a featured artist.

And, guests of the hotel aren’t the only ones who get to enjoy the rotating art gallery—anyone can visit the SEMOSMAULDIN display and purchase a piece right off the wall.

“The idea was we were making an art-inspired hotel within a unique, creative opportunity in the local neighborhood,” Williams says.

CANVAS includes 76 guest rooms and over 7,000 square feet of space in the lobby and on the roof. The artistic theme is scattered throughout, like in the Chef’s Palette restaurant and The Gallery Rooftop Lounge, which has a 270 degree view of the downtown Dallas skyline and painting locations at particularly scenic points. The rooftop lounge also includes a pool.

With the first round of the hotel’s revamp coming to an end, more change is coming in November with a phase two renovation. Updates will include changes to the hotel’s lobby and guest rooms.