Paint and Wine Pair Well in One Local
Artist’s Collection
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Romance and idealism of the human form emanate softly from the backdrop. You can picture yourself there, walking through the streets of Germany, holding hands with your one true love, taking in the beautiful architecture to the sound of a violin softly playing like a welcoming whisper or kiss on the neck.
At Artiste Winery in Santa Ynez, you can find yourself there, in one of Christina LoCascio’s “Intermezzo” paintings, blending into the background, melting into the canvas, becoming her medium and her inspiration simultaneously.
Because one of LoCascio’s main medium is wine and her inspiration is the human form, many wine and art connoisseurs might find her work to be the perfect marriage and overlapping between the two.
As Director of Marketing for Artiste Winery, LoCascio manages the wine club and handles all the events for the winery. However, it’s not her role as Marketing Director that makes her stand out. It’s her artistic experimentation with wine as paint.
LoCascio’s journey into painting with wine began almost four years ago, while she was teaching an art course at Artiste Winery.
“The concept for the class was to explore the sensory aspects of wine color in an artistic way. Treating wine like watercolor seemed to be an appropriate fit,” she said.
Born in
“Making art is something that I have loved from a very young age, I didn’t know where it was going to lead me,” she said. “It wasn’t until I was in college that I thought that I should be more practical and doubted the profession as an artist.”
It wasn’t until after she showed a collection of oil
paintings with a group of local artist at a machine shop in
“Being around other artists was inspiring,” LoCascio said. “The Machine Shop shows got me painting again.”
After graduating and spending some time in Temecula Calif. LoCascio worked at various wineries including Sunstone Vineyard and Winery in Santa Ynez. She finally made her way to Artiste after its premier in 2003, which she found to be a perfect fit for both her practical and artistic sides.
“It has been fantastic because everyday I’m surrounded by art, new artists, new wines, they’re all outstanding,” she said. “I couldn’t ask for a better situation. I feel like I come to a second home when I come to Artiste. I’m able to combine both my loves and be surrounded by good people.”
LoCascio’s technique involves sketching, diluting and applying various types of wine.
“When I approach a piece, typically I start with a sketch or the wine itself,” she said. “Each piece is different. I will get a wine that’s very unique like a Mourvedre and explore the color.”
Her enthusiasm and unique creativity continue to inspire people around her including her co-workers.
“She would be burgundy,” said Cyndi Ray, Artiste studio director, explaining what color best suits LoCascio. “She’s an awesome artist. Her work is kind of soft and calming. I would hang it in my bedroom.”
LoCascio’s fiancé, Michael Larner not only remembers when he first met her but also revels in watching her create what he calls “multiple dimensions” art work.
“We met at Palmina Winery in
“[Her work] is really inspiring because when you look at her artwork you see so much more through what she’s painting, even though you’re still looking at one color, you see multiple dimensions,” he added.
Currently LoCascio is showing her
2007 collection “Intermezzo” at Artiste through August 18, 2007.
The collection is an exhibition of wine paintings that range from abstract
eclectic, romantic
LoCascio sees promise for her future as an artist. She said she wants to move more towards vines themselves and focus more on pairing the abstract with the figurative.
“Currently I am working on paintings of vineyards and grapes, and themes related to wine. It is a perfect time for it as the vines mature and we get closer to harvest. But I always love working from the figure as well,” LoCascio said. “Figurative work has always been a place where I feel I can be very expressive.”
For more information about Christina LoCascio or “Intermezzo” call 805-686-2626 or visit www.artiste.com or email Christina LoCascio at Christina@artiste.com.