The ability to turn everyday objects into items of desire is no easy feat. But for Los Angeles-based visual artist Michael McGregor, finding magic in the mundane is the rhythm of his work. Known for creating wide-eyed renderings of traditional subject matters, with an emphasis on still life portraiture, McGregor challenges his viewers to rethink their relationship with normality—evoking a sense of childhood wonder in doing so.

Primarily using colored pencils and oil-based paint to illustrate household items such as flowers and dishware, McGregor beautifully captures each item as quirky as it is ordinary through the use of vibrant colors and simple line compositions. His latest project, exclusive stationery designed for The Luxury Collection, Marriott’s global resort branch, reinforces this sense of childhood play—with the concept of travel being a driving force behind many of his creative ventures.

The postcards, featuring three of the brand’s North American properties—the Palace hotel in San Francisco, the Perry Lane Hotel in Savannah, Georgia and the Hotel Ivy in Minneapolis—illustrate the distinct charm and culture of each hotel through the use of recognizable motifs and visual language. “The hotels I visited were as unique as the destinations they inhabited, with stories and characters waiting to be uncovered,” McGregor says on his first collaboration with a global hotel brand. “It’s been a fulfilling artistic endeavor to share my perspectives on these remarkable places and bring them to life through my drawings.”

With his signature whimsical flair and gestural curiosity, the sketches reflect a rich sense of physical being, bringing each destination to life through a series of welcome notes, amenities cards and a curated box set of postcards, available to purchase online and on property at select locations now. FLAUNT spoke with McGregor to learn more about his artistic evolution, his interest in hospitality and how it aligns with the world of art, how he goes about his personal travels, and what he hopes this partnership will elicit for the overall guest experience.

What does hospitality mean to you? How are those principles reflected in your work? 

A soft, personal touch, never overbearing, always in tune. That feeling when you walk into a hotel and feel at home. A handwritten note. Holding a table for you, no matter how busy, the ability to drop a letter at the front desk and the staff give you some cool stamps so you can post your mail.  That’s the essence of hospitality: slowing down, paying attention, and honoring the details that make a person feel welcome. Those small touches keep me coming back to certain places. Those small moments often creep into my work—little scenes of complimentary champagne, the soft touch of turn down service. In this collaboration with The Luxury Collection, I wanted the illustrations to reflect that same spirit of creativity and discovery, so that each one becomes both a keepsake and a window into the soul of the hotel and destination.

What led you to discover your artistic style, and how did it progress organically, outside of a formal education? 

Growing up, I was always sketching, from after-school art classes to staying up late drawing by a reading lamp. Over time, those sketches built into a language of their own, which often just happened to be mirroring my lived experience. ‘Write what you know,’ they say. My work grew naturally from sketching little details of everyday life that caught my eye, whether it was the curve of a building or the way light hit a glass on a café table. My style developed more out of curiosity and wandering down different paths, sort of like traveling, rather than from technique taught in a classroom. Developing a practice outside of a formal art education gave me a lot of freedom; a lot [of] freedom to make mistakes, to follow intuition, to go against the perceived norms. There’s a bit of blissful ignorance involved, naivety, which may seem childish, but I believe the art can benefit a lot more from a child’s perspective, a child’s eye. That’s always a guiding light.  

You’ve said that you prefer to travel without plans, instead exploring at your own pace. After arriving at your destination, where do you begin? 

After arriving in a city, I only usually do 2-3 pieces of research—what museums or galleries do I need to visit; what’s the old school established restaurant, and what’s the best bar. I usually walk to the museum and then walk to the bar; all the initial observations from those strolls start to form ideas for drawings, which I’ll often sketch at the bar. Wandering is a huge part of my practice. I like to give myself the space to meander—this often illuminates small details that make a lasting impression—the details on a fountain or an ancient streetlight. This set of postcards I created with The Luxury Collection, each location was inspirational in its own way. In California, I found myself drawn to the Gilded Age opulence of Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco and the way its history seemed to echo in every corridor. At Perry Lane Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Savannah, it was the warmth of the people that shaped my impressions, while at Hotel Ivy, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Minneapolis it was the energy and the social pulse of the city.  

This is your first formal hospitality collaboration. Why now? Why the Luxury Collection? 

My work has always circled around themes of travel, leisure, and the experience of hotels. Partnering with The Luxury Collection was a natural fit because the brand approaches travel in a way that feels true to my own life. Calm, cool, collected, chic but always with the warmth of a personal touch. In a world that is moving toward speed, frictionless technology, and hyper-connectivity, The Luxury Collection still encourages a sense of connection and introspection. As someone who loves to lean into my curiosity when I travel, that resonated with me deeply. I was able to interpret the stories of these hotels and destinations in a way that was playful and encouraged discovery, which is true to my process. 

What is the most memorable story you uncovered while staying at the Luxury Collection properties? 

What stood out to me most was how distinct the identity of each property was, and how clearly it reflected the character of its city. At Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco, you can feel the history of the Gilded Age embedded in the architecture. Sketching there felt like a look into its heritage, as if the walls were still telling their stories.  Hotel Ivy, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Minneapolis was a different kind of inspiration. The Ziggurat-inspired tower and its connection to Minneapolis’ design culture tied directly into the creative energy I felt all around me. Perry Lane Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Savannah was yet another world that felt full of romance, charm, and Southern warmth, and the hotel’s design amplified that unique spirit.  

Your capsule for The Luxury Collection is made up of illustrations on postcards. Similarly, your book Room Service contains work on hotel stationary—notepads, envelopes. What drew you to these canvases? How do you place value in the physicality of your work? 

I have always been drawn to the intimacy of small, physical canvases like hotel stationery and postcards. They are everyday objects, yet they carry a sense of memory and permanence. A postcard can be mailed across the world and still feel personal. A hotel notepad might hold a quick sketch or a love note that outlives the trip. I love that duality. In a time when so much of our communication and art exists on screens, these physical pieces remind us to slow down and connect. 

Your postcards for The Luxury Collection contain a playful air of childlike curiosity, especially through your pastel palettes—how do you keep yourself whimsical? 

I think whimsy comes from keeping things simple. The tools I use – the bright pastels, the hotel notepads I’ve collected – already carry a kind of playfulness. To me, it’s almost rebellious to lean into that, because art often gets treated as if it has to be overly serious to be taken seriously. I try not to overthink the process and just follow what feels fun or interesting in the moment. Travel has played a big role in maintaining that lightness. When you arrive in a new city, the colors, the sounds, even the smallest details all feel fresh. I try to hold onto that wide-eyed feeling, as if I’m seeing the world for the first time, and the sense of discovery naturally shows up in my drawings. The postcards I created for The Luxury Collection were born from that same joy of slowing down and immersing myself in the world around me.