“Life without art is like dinner without wine. Why bother? “ My latest article in Luxe Beat Magazine.
As premier California wineries continue to make a fine art of capturing the fruit of the vine’s nuanced and delectable flavors, perhaps it was inevitable that a singular artist would eventually emerge, one whose skills would be a perfect pairing with the subject at hand. Thomas Arvid, represented by Quent Cordair Fine Art in Napa, has been credited with launching an art trend that revolves almost completely around the product that is the heart and soul of the wine country. Delighting wine and art connoisseurs alike, Arvid’s mouthwatering, over-size still lifes feature wine and the rituals surrounding wine, the intricate details of which are brought to life with a mastery of light, depth and reflection — and have garnered worldwide attention and acclaim.
Doug Shafer, of Shafer Family Vineyards, likens Arvid’s skill to that of the best Napa winemakers. “Arvid’s style is big and bold, with enough selected detail and softness to create a sense of balance . . . this blend of elements is precisely what winemakers hope to bring to their top vintages.” Influential wineries such as Silver Oak Cellars, Far Niente and Diamond Creek Winery collect Arvid’s work, with USA Today declaring in 2000: “What the Dutch masters did for clusters of fruit, Arvid is doing for the fruit of the vine.”
The power of Arvid’s work lies in his unique ability to visualize and evoke a pleasure-infused atmosphere beyond the frame, to suggest a story of sensuous enjoyment and the good life. Passionate about art and wine himself — he’s an ardent collector of both — Arvid strives to capture, on each canvas, the pleasure of life well lived, while insisting that the wine itself, as a subject, should remain approachable. As such, his paintings are an embodiment of the more casual and natural way that Americans have come to enjoy wine today, as a natural and expected element of dining and entertaining. . . . Read more at http://luxebeatmag.com/life-without-art-like-dinner-without-wine-bother/