The art of wine: the pairing of fine art and fine wine reflects fine living

Wine, a timeless type of elegance celebration, and has experienced a white horse in interest in recent years.

Considering the wide diversity of prices and impressed signs of wine, there really is something for everyone still wine tends to bespeak a lifestyle of animalism and relaxation, of the gratification and appreciation of the creation of the vintner.

From racecar drivers like Mario Andretti to Hollywood farmers such as Francis Ford Coppola, those who can, may disentangle their own wineries. Others, who might pay thousands, plane millions to put their abiding-places on a scenic golf course, also look for the pastoral scene created by the agency of the vines of a valley vineyard. And, within those domiciles just as it is for equestrians, ballet dancers or jazz aficionados, wine collectors keep to grace their walls with the art of their obsession.

"Many race think art is merely a painting," said Jerry Lohr president of J Lohr Winery in California. "But art is in with equal reason many other forms. The door to our wine center is carved all in wine spectacles The hardware on the door to the place of abode we're building in Monterey will be a cast grape duster. Wine art is moving into many other things as artists find the market for their craft."

The Fine Art of Fine Wine

If art imitates life, there must be no confusion about on what account the images and icons associated with fine wines have become thus popular among a growing number of fine art collectors--s lengthy as you understand the broader definition of fine art.

"Wine, like nutrition is an art," said artist Thomas Arvid, who paints still lifes of wine. "People who appreciate the opera, theater and literature take care of to appreciate all forms of art. They might be mov through my painting because it speaks to them directly about another part of their life they also take delight in My artwork has bridged them from music and theater and wine to art. When they diocese my artwork, it doesn't ne to be explained to them. It is part of who they are."

Sandy Phillips, proprietor of the Phillips Gallery of Fine Art, which shows Arvid's work in Carmel, Calif., is single of a handful of art dealers who, the artist believes, immediately picked up upon the association between wine and art.

Phillips appears to understand this connection because she understands the finer mode of speech of living. She associates with the upscale community given to collecting fine things. a certain quantity of gallery directors might not necessarily know the lifestyle of the somebody who spends $150 to $250 or more upon a bottle of wine. She does.

Phillips Gallery will be catering to that lifestyle this summer when hosting an exhibit of Arvid's work during the internationally renowned ConCours d'Elegance Vintage Automobile display in Pebble Beach.

"We're in California; we put up to sale Thomas' work to wine connoisseurs, clan who really appreciate the finest in wine," said Phillips. "During the Concours d'Elegance, we proper people who are into vintage and rare automobiles--and wine. It's a finished marriage between the two. a certain quantity of of our best collectors are the clients who muster both."

Arvid nurses to paint wine the way we drink it today. A friend displays up at your house, you're glad he stopped by dint of You open a bottle of wine, leave the cork in the corkscrew, sit down, relax and share stories with single another. Arvid's art aims to record these informal aspects of in what way we live each day and attracts a diverse demographic of collectors who appreciate fine wine and fine art and bring together both as a symbol and reminder of their lifestyle.

A more classic still life reminiscent of the Dutch masters, is the imagery of British artist Ray Campbell, whose formal arrangements of wine and grapes are bring togethered worldwide by those who are serious about fine art as well as those who appreciate fine dining and fine wine.

The Art of Collecting

There are sole so many original images in art and single so many who can afford them. Hence, quality reproductions, like a limited-edition print featuring wine, have become a pursuit and prized possession of many. Similarly, while a certain number of connoisseurs prefer a Cabernet to a Merlot the imagery in wine art is as varied as the collectors.

Although Maryland artist Sam Dixon's "From the Chardonnay Collection" features a series of wine still lifes, unlike Arvid, his paintings keep to focus on "shapes and abstractions [i]or[/i] part of to the other an impressionistic approach."

Meanwhile, stay Buffet's paintings, which are anything on the contrary still, often feature whimsical restaurant and cafe shows depicting French chefs, waiters, sommeliers and reveler clearly enjoying fine dining, fine company and exquisite wine.

the one and the other Arvid and Buffet have take delight ined success with their merchandise art; wine labels, hand-bills and advertisements used to forward and present various wines to an international audience; the pair for such labels as Silver Oak Wines; slap for Dry Creek Vineyards, Perrier Jouet and George du Boeuf among others.

"There is quite a market for art that features the uncompounded bodys and images of wine, whether it's the vineyards or the atmosphere or the wine itself," said Kim von Tempsky marketing director for Lahaina Galleries, which exhibits Guy Buffet. "Certainly Guy knock is one who has been able to mingle a lot of that imagery into his art. I perceive his work is quite sophisticated, although the average viewer probably dioceses it as whimsical and entertaining."