Zinfandel grapes from a new vineyard!
When my brother Mike and his wife Julie sold their house I lost my source of Zinfandel grapes to paint. Where I was going to find them when I could no longer pop by to see my brother and sister-in-law. I forgot that we live in an abundant universe.
Sue Rink is a talented artist and has an amazingly bright spirit. She came to my Special Saturday classes for a couple of years. In the process, our student/teacher relationship evolved into a deep friendship. Sue and her husband Paul built a home up on the hill in Cloverdale, in northern Sonoma County. Around the house grows something like 15 acres of cabernet grapes. Right near the house is a single acre of Zin.
Sue invited some of us to spend the weekend painting at the Rink Ranch. Such joy wandering, capturing images of grapes, apples, plums, flowers – even the horses. We spent the rest of the weekend painting – and eating! It was a weekend of pure pleasure: warm sunshine, inspiring sights, rich color, sweet friendship, delicious food and wine.
This image begged to be painted. I love the complex background and the full-spectrum of color.
I wanted to bring “Zin” in to the name. I started with “Zinful” – fun but maybe a little cheeky. Somehow Zintopia came to me – a whole world of Zin. Seems like that very well could be what this one has to share with us.
November 2016 – 30″x22″ – Watercolor on paper
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