Making Art While Drinking Wine -- What a Combination!

We have just returned from a vacation in California. While we were there, we went wine tasting  in Los Olivos,  a charming little town in the golden hills

north of Santa Barbara (where my niece Sarah was married on September 24th.)

Los Olivos is deep into wine country, so we did some tasting while we were there. And that's how we discovered the Artiste Winery and Tasting Studio, where there is art on every bottle.

The winery invites artists to submit paintings and some of them are adopted onto wine bottles. The artists who are chosen have an exhibit and opening to display some of their work.

One very fun thing about the winery: everyone who comes is invited to paint right in the tasting room, where there is an easel set up alongside a big box of paints. Who could resist? One of the best things about painting that day was the fact that my sister was inspired to paint along with me. And my 90-year old father was able to make the long trip to California!

I don't expect to see my painting on a bottle anytime soon. But I love the idea of sipping wine while painting.

Try it some time. Painting is a lot easier after a glass of cabernet!