A person is using a carving tool to create an intricate design with leaves and flowers on a piece of material, possibly linoleum or wood.

For Inspired & Aspiring Creative Minds

In partnership with the Purdue University Fort Wayne Department of Art and Design, our hotel gallery showcases an inspired collection of works from students, alumni, and faculty through semi-annual exhibitions.

From muralists and contemporary artists to musicians and printmakers, the city of Fort Wayne is teeming with talent. Paying homage to the creative community that abounds, The Bradley features an on-site art gallery just off the lobby, curated in partnership with the Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) Department of Art and Design. Here, you’ll find an incredible display of revolving works from their students, alumni and faculty that span their artistic programs. Twice a year, new themed exhibitions will be displayed so guests can enjoy fresh creative perspectives during every stay. If interested in adding to your own collection, all pieces are available for purchase.

Purdue University Fort Wayne Department of Art and Design guides over 250 students towards their artistic goals each year within several degree programs ranging from Bachelor of Arts to Bachelor of Science in Interior Design. The campus’s Visual Arts Building offers studios primed for creativity of all kinds including ceramics, photography, printmaking, web design, woodworking and beyond. Plus, their own personal gallery space features eight exhibitions each year.  

Read on to learn more about each artist and the individual pieces currently on display. 

A high-contrast image depicts a canal in a city at night, with buildings and a bridge outlined in bright white lines reflecting on the water.

Chris Ganz – The Ponte Vecchio at Night, Florence

The Ponte Vecchio (translated as ‘The Old Bridge’ from Italian), is one of the symbols of Florence as it connects the city together over the Arno River. It is particularly beautiful at night with all the reflections.

A detailed sketch shows a cityscape with domed buildings, an elevated terrace in the foreground, and cloudy skies overhead, capturing serene ambiance.

Chris Ganz – View of Rome from the Janiculum Hill

This view of Rome is from the Janiculum Hill, located in the western part of the city, looking east towards the Eternal City. The rooftops, monuments, and the many church domes of Rome are a beautiful and challenging subject to draw.

The image depicts a sepia-toned sketch of a cityscape with various buildings, rooftops, and a hilly background, rendered in a detailed, textured style.

Chris Ganz – View of Siena

Siena is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved medieval cities in the world. The cityscape from above is an intricate maze of triangles and terra cotta rooftops. In the distance are the famous rolling hills of Tuscany.

A person in a kitchen holding a book open to a woman's picture, wearing a white top and pink skirt, obscuring their face with the book.

Iris Miller – Good Housekeeping

This is a self-portrait of Iris, portrayed in a mid-century modern home. The series reflects a well-dressed, over-accessorized woman attempting to complete mundane house chores.

The image shows an expansive desert landscape with rocky mesas, deep canyons, and a vast open sky, captured during sunset with a warm, reddish hue.

Jim Gabbard - Sunset Over the Green River #1

In August of 2023 I created this photo as part of my ongoing exploration of the sacred beauty I find in nature. This image was taken in Canyonlands National Park in Utah

The image shows a vast, arid landscape with deep canyons and winding riverbeds under a colorful sky at sunset.

Jim Gabbard - Sunset Over the Green River #2

In August of 2023 I created this photo as part of my ongoing exploration of the sacred beauty I find in nature. This image was taken in Canyonlands National Park in Utah.

A small church with a steeple and cross is seen at sunset, surrounded by trees and grass, with people walking on a lawn in the foreground.

Madison Forman - The Stand Still of Summer

Taken in Mackinac Island, Michigan, this photo encapsulates the joy, wonder and warmth of the summertime. It is meant to feel as if you’re frozen in time and resting in the stillness of August.

The image shows an elderly man in a cap and jacket, focusing on adjusting his fishing rod, with sunlight creating a halo effect behind him.

Madison Forman - The Old Man and The Sea

This work means so much to me, as it reminds me of the fond memories I have with my grandpa fishing in Florida. He is truly one of my best friends, so getting to capture this moment in time was remarkable for me.

The image shows a person with a yellow patterned headband, wearing a floral top, holding some wheat stems against a black background.

Sarafina Burton - Florid Void

In Florid Void, my goal was to embody the juxtapositions within human nature––represented by the love and peace often symbolized by flowers, and the innate corruption symbolized by shadows.

A person in a cream dress holds an ornate mirror that covers their face, seated beside luggage and a vase of flowers in a dimly lit room.

Sarafina Burton - House of Reflection

House of Reflection shows the inevitable reflection upon oneself when exposed to isolation.

Guestroom Art

Fort Wayne native Julie Wall of the HEDGE studios brings pieces of Fort Wayne’s natural beauty into each of the guest rooms at The Bradley. With a background in fine arts and printmaking, Wall opened her fine art shop in 2013 handcrafting unique paper goods, printed on 100+ year old presses, statement jewelry from leather and retired skateboard decks, and more. She often hosts in-studio workshops so visitors can try their hand at creative practices like printmaking and embroidery.

She has created custom letterpress prints of botanicals found in and around the city that are hand-carved out of linoleum blocks and imbue a taste of the city at first glance.

Two people wearing white robes sit on a bed against a floral headboard, flanked by lamps and framed art on the walls, in a cozy room.
Two people wearing white robes sit on a bed against a floral headboard, flanked by lamps and framed art on the walls, in a cozy room.

Public Space Art

On the first floor, the artistic experience is brought to life through a curated art gallery in partnership with a Purdue University Fort Wayne Department of Art and Design. The space will feature works, bi-annually, from current students, alumni and faculty of the school.

A Community of Creativity

Art

Fort Wayne is home to an incredible group of artists who quite literally paint the town with their passion. From vibrant murals and arts campuses to museums like the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, this is a city that thrives on the inventiveness of imagination, and we channel that same creativity into every piece of The Bradley.

Elements from our local art community can be found from the lobby and restaurants to meeting rooms and guestrooms. When you step into the hotel, you step into the originality of the Fort Wayne art world.

A family admires a colorful mural with the words
A family admires a colorful mural with the words

Fort Wayne is home to an incredible group of artists who quite literally paint the town with their passion. From vibrant murals and arts campuses to museums like the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, this is a city that thrives on the inventiveness of imagination, and we channeled that same creativity into every piece of The Bradley.  

Elements from our local art community can be found from the lobby and restaurants to meeting rooms and guestrooms. When you step into the hotel, you step into the originality of the Fort Wayne art world.