If you offer me a bottle of wine, I will gladly drink it to your health and create you a customized photogram of it. Penfolds Grange 11x14 inches Collection of The Artist I first drank (vintage 1997) Penfolds Grange in 2003. My twin brother, Nick, gave it to me as a gift. He picked it up while in Australia and casually said it was recommended as a good wine. One day I grabbed the bottle while on my way to Heavenly Mountain Ski Resort with my husband (then boyfriend), Tony. While on a ski lift, we opened the bottle and noted the amazing bouquet. We poured the wine into paper cups and noted the beautiful color. Taking our first sip we were amazed by the rich and complex flavors. As it is described on one website, “Penfolds Grange is a wine of extraordinary dimension and power. Richly textured, intensely concentrated and packed with fruit sweetness... Immensely complex, beguiling wines that seduce the senses.” Later that day Tony returned from the restroom explaining he dropped and broke the bottle losing the last quarter of the remaining wine; but he salvaged the cork so we could look up the wine when we returned home. Upon searching we quickly realized we could not afford another bottle of Penfolds Grange which retailed for over $400. Our amusement at losing a bottle of wine on a ski resort bathroom floor turned to disappointed when we understood that over $100. worth of wine was lost; but we were grateful for the wine we were able to enjoy and for Nick’s incredible generosity. We remembered the bottle fondly, and to our fortune Nick gifted me another bottle in 2005 when I completed my Master’s Degree. We saved the bottle for years, and finally drank it in 2011 to celebrate our 10-year anniversary. This bottle is lovingly displayed in our kitchen. One day I took the bottle down to my studio and created the above photogram of it. I love wine and I thought a series of wine photograms might be interesting, but I did not have much inspiration for variety within the series. I also love trading my artwork, and I thought trading people wine for a customized photogram of the bottle they gave me could be fun. So I began The Wine Project. For each piece in the series the participant gave me a bottle of wine. Most participants chose a bottle they enjoyed and wanted me to try, or they chose a bottle with an interesting design element in the label. This has allowed me to try many excellent and unique wines I would not have otherwise explored. I gladly drank each bottle of wine to the participant’s health, and then created them a customized photogram of it. The most interesting aspect of the series has been the input given by each participant, and the way the series continues to develop because of the creativity of so many people involved. Some participants gave very specific requests, while others left most of the design to me. Some participants preferred simple compositions, while others preferred more busy compositions; one participant decided to make the composition horizontal. Some bottles came from local retailers, some from select wineries, and some were shipped from the East Coast. Some of the artworks were displayed in homes, and some were given as gifts. The two latest pieces in the series are shown here: This piece was requested “blue-ish, teal-ish, with seashells.” I add the swirly background for more depth and a wave like effect. This collector also has another piece with a similar swirly background. This piece was requested “blue-ish, teal-ish, with peacock feathers.” I added more color for variety and contrast. This participant’s last name begins with the letter M. My process is carried out in darkness on photographic paper. In the darkness I feel my way around the paper, carefully placing objects and shining light over them. Once the photographic paper is exposed and processed it is complete. I cannot adjust anything afterward or go back over an area as a painter would on canvas. So I work with many pieces of photo paper before completing the final artwork. These are known as preliminary sketches to painters and test strips to photographers. The following 6 preliminary sketches are available for $25. each. Each image is a unique print so get the one-and-only piece while you can! If you want to purchase one simply be the first person to post a comment with the title and it is yours! Then send me a message at [email protected]. Click on the images to enlarge and see titles and sizes. Currently, The Wine Project is being offered at 50% off of retail price & minus the cost of the bottle of wine. If you are interested in commissioning a piece in The Wine Project series send me a message at [email protected]. Purchase wine prints here. Other pieces in The Wine Project series: (Click on the images to enlarge and see in slideshow format.) Nick passed away almost 4 years ago, making the Penfolds Grange bottle an even more memorable keepsake of his love and kindness for me and my family. The second Penfolds Grange photogram (above center) was created for our mom. Thank you for viewing! If you have questions or comments I would love to hear them. Much love to you all! ♥ Natasha
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I am an artist working with light, combining contemporary & archaic processes to push the bounds of conventional photography. Archives
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