Stepping on board, Snowbird's guests will immediately notice how she perfectly blends the welcoming, opulent appeal of a charter yacht, with the aesthetic beauty of a modern art gallery. Her elegant wooden walls are the perfect backdrop for her extension collection of contemporary art, with painting, prints, and sculptures hand picked by a team of expert professionals.

In 2011, Snowbird was awarded Best New Design - Small Luxury Yacht, a testament to the beautifully-crafted interior by David Ostrander, principal of Illuminus Design Group. Ostrander worked closely with his art advisor, Todd Hutcheson of H is for House, to curate the art collection on board. “Snowbird has been designed and built so that she can be offered to the upper echelons of the charter market,” remarks Ostrander.

Hutcheson’s career in the art industry spans over twenty-five years, multiple cities and continents, New York, Palm Beach, Europe, and Russia. An active participant in Art Basel Fairs in Switzerland and Miami for almost two decades, Hutcheson is an expert in working exclusively with clients to advise them on purchasing art and building a collection. Hutcheson’s focus on board Snowbird was to create a ‘flow’ between the various pieces and encourage charter guests on board to see how the artworks perfectly complement each other: “The blue tone of hand cut mohair velvet, hand-stitched with Hermes-orange leather piping on original Gio Ponti dining chairs, provide the perfect counterpoint to the two-tone bespoke Hermes china on the table,” he explains.

The thought process behind the placement of artwork varies between each project. With Snowbird, the owner’s team began the process with the art pieces at the forefront of their minds. “We had long discussions about the harmony that occurs in the space between composition, color and scale,” explains Hutcheson. Many of the pieces draw on colors that are seen in the fabric and soft furnishings on board, such as the striking white and blue painting in the master stateroom drawing out the deep blue fabric on the bed, or the geometric print complementing the orange furnishings in the twin cabins. As this illustrates, the artworks chosen to be on a yacht should be considered in the very early stages of an interior design, for as well as practical considerations (such as space and placement), the designer can bring out tones and shades in the yacht’s furniture or be inspired by how the light enters a particular room.

Much of the work on board Snowbird is from mid-century artists, including Frank Stella, Robert Mangold, Robert Motherwell and Alex Katz. The stories and connections of the artworks on board is also an important part of the collection’s cohesion. For example, Hans Hofman is known as the father of Abstract Expressionism, and his ink designs on paperwork is a highlight of the pieces in the main salon. Hutchenson explains that not only are these a focal point in this area on board, but also the common link between many other works on board, as Hofman taught several of the artists featured in the collection.

Enjoyment of Snowbird’s vast collection does not require an expert eye or a comprehensive understanding of modern art. Extensive information on the art collection is available to all guests throughout their stay on board, and they will undoubtedly leave their charter with an appreciation of the power and beauty of Snowbird’s pieces.

To enquire about Snowbird, contact the IYC team today.