Vintage Walla Walla and Entwine Grand Auction, Walla’s Walla’s new grand weekend-long celebration of Walla Walla Valley’s wine, food, art and lifestyle has commissioned seven Northwest artists to create interpreted works of art from vintage wine barrels.
Each one-of-a-kind artwork will be auctioned off to bidders on Saturday, June 18, 2011 during the final event of the weekend, the Entwine Grand Auction. The barrel art pieces range from functional (tables and a chair) to decorative (wall hanging) to whimsical (garden spheres) and even a custom board game. For those unable to attend One Wine Weekend or simply wanting a sneak peak at the art, the barrels are going on tour and will be on display in Woodinville, WA at six host wineries, for one weekend only, May 20-22.
After the Woodinville tour the barrel art will take up residence at six wineries in Walla Walla from May 27 until June 18. A Barrel Tour Guide listing winery locations with a recommended route is available at: http://www.wallawallawine.com
Barrel Art @ The Wineries, Woodinville: Friday through Sunday, May 20 – 22, 2011
For this weekend several of the Woodinville host wineries are offering special tastings. Others will be featuring newly-released or tasting room-only wines. Here’s what to expect:
Amavi Cellars/Pepper Bridge Winery – Artist Kristen Winn:
While viewing artist Kristen Winn’s barrel-turned-chair, visitors can sip compare three vintages of Cabernet Sauvignons: the 2006, 2007 and 2008 are all currently available for tasting.
Dusted Valley – Artist Doug Gisi:
Mostly winery-only and wine club special access selections, including the 2010 Ramblin’ Rosé, the very first release off their new Estate Vineyard, Stoney Vine and the 2008 Rachis Syrah.
Long Shadows – Artist Jeff Hill:
A special four-wine featured flight of Poet’s Leap 2009, Saggi 2007, Chester Kidder 2007 and Sequel Syrah 2009. Those wanting to set up an appointment can email Leslie Koby at leslie@thelibrarywines.com
Otis Kenyon – Artist Karen Fields:
They will feature their current releases for tasting.
Isenhower Cellars – Artist Karl Longin:
They will be pouring three special wines from magnums (1.5L): 2008 Columbia Valley Batchelor’s Button Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 Horse Heaven Hills River Beauty Syrah and 2008 Wahluke Slope Weinbau Vineyard Road Less Traveled Cabernet Franc.
Columbia Winery– Artists Lynn Woolson and Candice Johnson:
This is the only non-Walla Walla winery playing host to barrel art. A full spectrum of wines from the Columbia Valley will be available in the tasting room.
ABOUT THE BARREL ART & ARTISTS—Furniture, garden art, games and more:
Kristen Winn is becoming well known for her beguiling acrylic portraits of Washington winemakers. Taking inspiration from the wheat fields and vineyards of Spring Valley, Kristen layered her barrel with acrylics, varnish, and papers and transformed it into a chair suitable for indoors or out. This would be a wonderful addition to any home cellar, family room or deck.
Karl Longin works as a patineur at the Walla Walla Foundry and also practices the art of Tattoo. His paintings mix techniques and influences from each of those art forms and he takes his inspiration from his baby daughter, imagining a newborn’s view of the world. Gorgeous, lush flowers wrap their way around his barrel table. Picture this in the corner of your dining room!
No room for another table in the house? Then how about some wine barrel garden art? Portland-based Lynn Woolson works with recycled metal and steel and continuously explores different bends and twists. Her first passion has always been garden art designs so Lynn has chosen to disassemble her barrel and turn the metal hoops into garden spheres.
Game on! This is Karen Fields’ fourth piece of barrel art and it continues the game theme she introduced in the first three barrels. The top of the barrel has a customized game inspired by one Karen played as a child. But this is clearly the adult version –she’s named it the ‘Grape Cluster Sobriety Tester.’ It is bound to add hilarity to any dinner party.
Walla Walla artist Doug Gisi is well known throughout the northwest for his metal art and his custom reclaimed wine barrel furniture. He is one of the featured artists at the Dusted Valley Woodinville Art & Wine Gallery in May so visitors will be able to not only view his creation for Entwine but also other works.
A fourth generation native of the Walla Walla Valley and one of the original founders of Entwine, Jeff Hill’s work can be found in tasting rooms throughout Walla Walla. He transformed his barrel into hang-able wall art and painted a barrel head à la Van Gogh–a style for which he is known–with bright colors and vineyard scenes.
Candice Johnson now calls Walla Walla home but lived in Paris for many years and has had over 40 exhibitions in France. It was during her time in Paris that she began creating the small portraits she calls “Tetes”, French meaning heads. Candice has since produced hundreds of these imaginary, fascinating works of art, many of which can be seen at Walla Faces and form the basis for her barrel piece.
After the Woodinville tour the art will be on display at the following host wineries in Walla Walla until One Wine Weekend.
Barrel Art @ The Wineries, Walla Walla, May 27 – June 18
– DaMa Wines – Artist Lynn Woolson
– Don Carlo – Downtown Winery (Marcus Whitman Hotel) – Artist Karl Longin
– Three Rivers Winery – Artist Jeff Hill
– Walla Walla Vintners – Artist Karen Fields
– Walla Faces – Artist Candice Johnson
– Watermill – Artist Kristen Winn
– Woodward Canyon – Artist Doug Gisi
About One Wine Weekend, June 16-18, 2011
Vintage Walla Walla® & Entwine Grand Auction, two previously extraordinary events in their own right, have joined forces to create a single powerhouse wine weekend – a grand celebration featuring some of the finest of the Walla Walla Valley’s wine, food, art and lifestyle. Events include: winemaker dinners; Vintage Pour, where wineries pull from their libraries and private collections; welcome barbeque and VIKING Grill-Off where five local winemakers vie for the title of “Master of the Grill”; and the Entwine Grand Auction.
Tickets are available for individual events or for a complete weekend package. They range in price from $100 for an intimate winemaker dinner to $300 for a total weekend package that includes both Vintage Pour events, Vintage BBQ and Entwine Grand Auction. For additional event information please go to One Wine Weekend or call 509-526-3117.