DUNDEE, Ore. – September 23, 2020 – On October 1st, Argyle Winery and the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) will celebrate the unveiling of the 2020 Art of Sparkling artwork at a special online event. Created by Argyle Winery, the Art of Sparkling program is a unique collaboration with PNCA. Each year, three PNCA student artists are selected to receive a scholarship from Argyle. As part of the scholarship, the three artists create an original piece of art reflective of their interpretation of Argyle, which is then turned into a label for the Art of Sparkling 3-bottle set. The stunning labels created by this year’s winning artists—Eduardo Soto, Roger Schuff and Shannon Driscoll—will debut at an online unveiling on Thursday, October 1st at 4:30 p.m. PST. During this special fifth annual event, the 2020 Art of Sparkling set, which features the 2017 Argyle Vintage Brut, will be available for purchase.
“We have all fallen in love with this program over the past five years, and eagerly look forward to the new artwork each year. It has become a tradition,” said Argyle Marketing Coordinator Cathy Martin. “It is an incredible way to support our local arts community, while nurturing the next generation of artists. 2020 required a quick change of plans to our usual process. We almost thought we were not going to be able to do the program this year, but came to the conclusion that it was important to keep the program going, so our artists to take a more virtual approach to creating their labels.”
Unlike in past years where the winning student artists visited Argyle for an immersive educational experience to inspire their artwork, Vineyard Manager Geoff Hall led the artists through a virtual vineyard tour in 2020. This was followed by a virtual winery tour led by Winemaker Nate Klostermann. In addition to this opportunity to work directly with Hall and Klostermann to develop label ideas, the artists also received a ‘vineyard in a box’ kit to provide inspiration. “We knew that the artists were interested in textures, colors, patterns that they usually get to see firsthand when they come to visit,” added Martin. “Since they couldn’t come to the vineyard and winery, we sent some of Argyle to them. Each kit included an older vine, some soil, and some of the materials used in winemaking.” While the new labels will not be unveiled until October 1st, the artists describe their finished labels as follows:
Eduardo Soto – My piece embodies the relationship between the vines, the vineyards and the people who farm them. It is a relationship that is larger than life, as well as a practice that is timelessly traditional. Ultimately, it is a visual representation of the spiritual relationship between the harvester and the sacred act of growing and making wine.
Roger Schuff – My piece was inspired by the Argyle team’s unique care and attention to their craft. It also highlights the importance of the Chardonnay grape as part of the essence of the Dundee Hills, with beautiful rows of grapes in the vineyards, and the use of the color gold calling to both the hue of Argyle’s sparkling wines, and their quality.
Shannon Driscoll – My goal was to capture the phases of the winemaking process and the importance of their relationship to one another. Growing, harvesting, fermenting and drinking wine all exist as their own separate step in a larger process, but when all these actions come together, they become something beautifully complete and compelling.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Argyle for the fifth year of this remarkable program. We are proud of the work our students have done and where it has taken them,” said Kristin Rogers Brown, PNCA associate professor and department head in graphic design, who mentored the students through the program. “Art of Sparkling is a true collaboration that highlights both the creativity of our students and Argyle’s commitment to the arts. In addition to providing much-needed financial support, the Art of Sparkling program gives these up-and-coming artists invaluable experience that will bolster their journey to become professional artists.”
Like all of Argyle’s sparkling wines, the limited-edition 2017 Vintage Brut that will be featured in this year’s Art of Sparkling 3-bottle trio was made using the traditional French Champagne method, aged for three or more years and bottle-fermented. The three-bottle 2017 Vintage Art of Sparkling collection will be available for purchase during the October 1st virtual unveiling for $100, or online at ArgyleWinery.com while supplies last. To register for the Art of Sparkling Webinar, please click here.
About Argyle Winery
Argyle Winery has been creating wines in the Willamette Valley since 1987. What began as a conviction to grow world-class sparkling wine has grown to include an acclaimed portfolio of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. Argyle farms nearly 400 acres of estate vineyards in the Willamette Valley, and welcomes guests daily at the Argyle Tasting House, located in the same downtown Dundee space they’ve called home since the beginning. To learn more, visit ArgyleWinery.com.
About Pacific Northwest College of Art
Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) empowers artists and designers to reimagine what art and design can do in the world. This private fine arts and design college, founded in 1909 in Portland, Oregon, offers eleven Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) degrees, six graduate degrees including Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) degrees, a Post-Baccalaureate, and a range of Community Education programs for adults and youth.