2026 PNCA Artist Bios
Created by Argyle Winery to support the talents of student artists, the Art of Sparkling program is a unique collaboration with the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA). Each year, three PNCA student artists are selected to receive the Argyle Internship. The students then immerse themselves in the Argyle story by visiting the vineyards, winery and Tasting House. This experience serves as inspiration for their artwork. The three pieces of art are then turned into labels for the Art of Sparkling 3-bottle set.
Ellie Beaver
General Fine Arts Focus
Working at the intersection of art, design, psychology, biology, and philosophy, Ellie creates conceptually driven work that explores the relationship between science, technology, and humanity. Through a discursive design practice, she investigates how imagination can be used to envision new futures and provoke critical thought. Her work examines relational dynamics by exploring themes of access, agency, and control, often drawing from personal experience as well as critical theory and emerging technologies. Because her practice is rooted in ideas, she embraces a wide range of materials and processes, selecting each in service of the concept being explored. Inspiration is drawn from both human behavior and biological systems, resulting in work that is thoughtful, interdisciplinary, and deeply reflective of contemporary questions.
Trentepohlia Umbrina: A Study
Lichen, cotton paper, ink
“This label design is a collaboration with the ecology of Argyle’s Lone Star vineyard. I cultured a sample of a lichen growing on the oldest vine at the vineyard and took photos of it under the microscope, which I then made into a letterpress print. This work explores the use of agential material: fungi, algae, and bacteria, and highlights their symbiotic relationship and creative decision-making abilities.”
—Ellie Beaver
Kat Wilkerson
General Fine Arts Focus
Kat Wilkerson’s art is based on exploration and creativity. They work with a variety of materials, such as screen printing, textile sewing work, and film. They love tactile material and collaging mediums. They explore ideas of identity closely related to gender and transgender identity. As well as how connection builds who we are and how we experience the world around us. Kat’s creative art practice cannot be contained; they often feel as though they need to create. This fuels all aspects of fun in their work and authentically depicts that in their visual art.
Ephemeral Picnic
Fabric (satin, organza, cotton), textile dye, screen print, and thread
“Ephemeral Picnic is a piece exploring the moments in time we spend creating memory. This artwork depicts the experiences that bring us together in passing ways and how those impactful moments are hard to recognize. A picnic where we partake in food, its consumption, and each other’s company.”
— Kat Wilkerson
Lee Angelos Valdivia
Illustration Focus
As a Cuban-American illustrator whose work explores themes of cultural identity, community, and nature, Lee combines digital and traditional media techniques to tell stories through experimental stylization and vibrant color.
Their practice has expanded into a variety of printmaking methods, including Risograph printing, exploring how alternative printing processes can enrich and extend traditional illustration. Through this interdisciplinary approach, Lee creates work that is both visually striking and deeply connected to personal and cultural narratives.
La Placa Flor
IPad Procreate, Risograph Printer
“La Placa Flor (the flowerboard) Is a representation of the parallels of technology and nature and how they can come together to create innovative growth. Captivated by Argyle’s Method of using clovers and other plants to help enrich the soil of the vineyard. The flora is illustrated as the traces of a motherboard connecting the buds of the vines with the nutrients they need to create the grapes that make Argyle’s wine delicious. Symbolizing how, using our scientific knowledge, we can further our understanding of nature.”
— Lee Angelos Valdivia
