Thankfulness, Wine and Art...

Thankfulness is a special state of being that draws us closer to on another and heightens our spirit of community. There are many things to be thankful for, especially this time of year. Wine, that venerable gift, might well be considered an important one of them.

Mendoza Wines

A few months ago, I was commissioned to create a unique illustration for use on a wine label. The folks at Catena Wines, in Argentina's Mendoza region, contacted me for the assignment. Here is the result...This post, however, is about the process leading up to the finished product --- the art of the sketch.

Sketching With a Bic

I've always enjoyed working with a basic, black bic ball-point pen. Although I don't consider it altogether appropriate for museum-quality art work, this little stylus can achieve some pretty hefty effects in terms of shading and subtlety.The other day, as I was rifling through my somewhat cavernous files, I came across some sketches I'd forgotten about. I found them elegant enough, so I thought I'd share them here...

Wine, Life and Art

The presentation. These, by the way were all created for Shafer Winery, in California. Michael Kavish was the Art Director.I drew these from actual wine bottle cork samples. I didn't know this at the time, but, before getting stuffed into the bottle, wine corks are considerably larger than one might expect.A worker in the vineyard...and Sampling the product.A scene from the wine cellar.

From My Family to Yours

I Hope you've enjoyed sampling these "works in progress" as much as I enjoyed creating them. As you meet with your family and friends this weekend, whether your tradition includes wine or not, I wish you joy and blessing abundant throughout the next year and a grateful heart throughout your life.