A Love Triangle and Tryst: Art, Wine and Posh Nosh



The Unveiling 20x10 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel



Like great food and wine, art is a pleasure of the senses.  These three sensual delights come together like players in a seductive love triangle, finding their tryst at Liquid Assets Wine Bar in Ashland, OR.  The willing participants in this triangle are an ample assortment of wine varietals paired with seasonal French-inspired cuisine.  This complementary duo shares a cozy ambiance with a seductive and stimulating art exhibit.  Sandi Whetzel, contemporary acrylic artist from Days Creek, OR, is a refreshing, recent addition to Ashland’s art scene.  Her vibrant succulents and other flora are on display now at Liquid Assets Wine Bar, Bottle Shop and Restaurant through the evening of May 12. 

Luscious colors and graceful shapes inspired from the plant world are a recurrent theme in Whetzel's art.  Fantasy blends with reality in Sandi's contemporary, surrealistic and frequently sensual delights--succulents, abstract flora and trees and her most recent passion to expand her wine series.  The artist is also known for her wine-themed paintings that have been used to promote the Oregon Wine industry.  Marsa Morse, curator for Liquid Assets art exhibits, has invited Sandi for a return engagement to exhibit a sampling of her wine series paintings at the wine bar in September.

In addition to participating in the First Friday Art Walks, Liquid Assets will host Rogue Creamery’s pairing of their cheeses with “Heydon Road” wine during the annual “A Taste of Ashland” weekend, April 30 and May 1^st.  Whetzel’s captivating art will be gracing the wall during that event also.

 

Top off your cruise of Ashland’s hot art stops during the First Friday ArtWalk, May 6 from 5-8 pm, with a rendezvous at Liquid Assets.  The food, wine, ambiance and the tantalizing art will tickle your senses.  Sandi will be delighted to visit with interested visitors.  The wine bar is located  at 96 N Main St., adjacent to the Bard’s Inn and the Plaza Inn and Suites and just a short walk from many of Ashland’s quaint Bed-and-Breakfasts.

You can view more of the artist’s work  here:

Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Association Chooses Sandi Whetzel's Painting, "...and Let There Be Wine!" to promote the 2011 Greatest of the Grape Event

"...and Let There Be Wine!" 30x24 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel
Originally uploaded by sandiwhetzel
I envisioned the concept for this painting to reflect the fertile valleys, rivers and vineyards that abound in the Umpqua valleys here in Oregon. I imagined the huge goblet suspended in a rose-colored atmosphere. I enjoyed directing the heavenly wine streaming from the bottle down into the goblet. The force of the wine landing in the bowl of the goblet caused the flow of the wine to separate; swirling up both sides of the glass simultaneously and then rippling back down again as the wine continued to pour. This energetic movement of the wine resembles terrain with lush vegetation on both sides of the goblet. A river gently cuts through the wine and the vineyards on the three hills spring forth.

I had no idea what I would title the painting until it was finished. Then it reminded me of the firmament at the time of creation when God said, "and let there be light" and there was light, and it was good. After he separated the water from the firmament and brought forth land and vegetation he might have said, "... and Let There Be Wine!"

The painting was created to compete in a contest for a new logo for the Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Association. The Winegrowers liked the painting and the title so well that they decided to use the image and it's title for the theme of the 2011 "Greatest of the Grape" event. The image of my painting appears on posters all over the county. The organization ordered a high quality giclee reproduction of the painting to be auctioned off to the highest bidder at the event, March 5th. This is the second time that organization has used my art to promote their annual event. The first time was in 2006 when they chose my painting, "Uplifting Spirits" to illustrate their theme of "Over 100 Cork Poppin' Years."