Vineyards Nurture Collection
In exploration of this year’s theme of ‘nurture’ at Leystone Farms, where I am an artist-in-residence, I found myself pondering what does it mean to nurture? What I learned and experienced opened my eyes to the love it takes to grow vines, make wine and how a glass of wine warms the soul. The Nurture collection is the result - on canvas.
Drawing inspiration from the grape vines on the Leystone property itself, I was propelled in a deep dive of the contrast between what we choose to nurture and what grows in nature without our interference, nurtured by a presence greater than us.
The grapevines found on this Luskville, Quebec farm are a special blend of old world European grapes and native grapes and require hours and hours of care by the owner, Trefor. The beauty of this gentle nurturing, pruning and protecting reminds me of the care and effort that goes into parenting my two kids. Both require hands-on love, patience and take years to grow. The whole process of growing and creating wine from the grapes is something that you need to love doing because it is so labour intensive. We choose what we nurture and I appreciate the love that goes into creating a good wine.
Digging deeper into the contrast of vineyard and the backdrop of where the vines are planted, I went on a hunt to find the most beautiful vineyards that showcased our vast Canadian landscape. Canada, you do not disappoint! The result is a series of vibrant landscapes from the rich farm fields of Carp to the rolling hills of Quebec’s Laurentian's to the high peaks of the Okanagan Valley of BC. In this collection of the beautiful vineyards in Canada I visually paired the contrast between what Mother Nature grows and what is intentionally cultivated on the land. You will find visuals of wild flowers vs grapevines, curved mountains and trees vs structured rows and curling clouds vs the sturdy mountains of Kelowna.
And so I raise my glass of wine to you. May experiencing these works nourish something within your soul and connect you to the places where the grapes themselves were loved, nurtured and smushed ;) just for you. Xo
