Sandi Whetzel's Contemporary Fine Art

Customize your Greeting Card Art Purchase

2014-07-06T18:39:00.001-07:00

About my greeting cards online:

Awkwardly cropped image on card

5" x 7" coated w/UV protectant semi-gloss finish

matte white finish inside, optional customized text message up to 500 characters

horizontal or vertical orientation with choice of white or black background
- price, same as generic greeting cards, $4.95 ea./price/shipping breaks on multiple cards/packs

Don't like the initial cropped image on the card? Adjust the image size to fit the card better. Choose a white or black background for a more pleasing card orientation. See the pictorials, (below) to see how I changed an undesirable cropped off version of my painting, (above) to a full view of my image on the card during the ordering process (below). I used the provided slider tool to shorten the image enough to fill the full length of the card.

Better full view of image on white card

Now the image is not cropped off at all. Much better, but I can do more with this greeting card image. Instead of leaving the background of the image white, I can visually extend the image by changing the background to black.

This card version rocks! Details, here

See more of Sandi's art and PIN IT here .

Visual Elixir, Anyone? A Feast for the Eyes...Drink In Sandi Whetzel's Sensual Wine Art at Umpqua Valley Arts Summer Festival

2014-06-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

Through the Eyes of a Child©Sandi Whetzel and Ruby Red©Sandi Whetzel, Details and PIN them from this site:

Sandi Whetzel's sensual wine images are elevating her artistic status to a "Go To" Sensual Wine Artist.

The image on the left, one of Whetzel's earlier images, is not one of her wine series, but it vividly illustrates the eye-popping focus of Sandi's upcoming art event:

In addition to featuring her recent sensual wine originals, she is introducing the most contemporary and most affordable, reproduction print medium available to tickle your senses. "Seeing is Believing" the incredible, slick, wet-look, of Sandi's sensual wine images printed on shimmering metal. You have to see them in person to experience the drama the lustrous shine adds to her images.

Not only are Sandi's popular wine prints on metal the most economical reproduction media, but they are the most dramatic and most contemporary way to display her sensual wine art. Metal prints are durable, water resistant, light weight, ready to hang and they will not bend. Whetzel's prints on metals are available at her website , but metal prints will be sold at special introductory prices at the event.

Sandi also has just four of her wine images available on smartphone covers for iPhone 4 /4S and Samsung Galaxy S4 at special introductory savings during the art event. (Any of Sandi's images are available on phone cases at her website . Just click on any image and select the "phone case" option to the right of the image.) To learn more about the metal print options, click on any image at Sandi's website: , select the "metal print" option and scroll down the page to see more about metal prints and Fine Art America's generous Return Policy.

See Sandi's original art and shimmering metal prints at the Umpqua Valley Arts Annual Summer Arts Festival. Details Below:

For a complete listing of attractions, festival hours and schedule of entertainment at the Summer Arts Festival, click here.

See more of Sandi's art here:

Sandi Whetzel's Wine-Inspired Art: A Visual Elixir of Seductive Twists on Wine

2014-04-08T13:13:00.000-07:00


Wine on the Vine ©Sandi Whetzel For Details, click

(Please PIN THIS IMAGE FROM THE SITE ABOVE, NOT FROM HERE, to properly link it back to that source)

The Pacific Northwest's regard for wine inspires me to celebrate the wine experience in my contemporary acrylic paintings. My images mirror the emotions, romance, fantasies or whimsy that consumption of wine fosters. My passion for sensual, curvy, shapes and scintillating color flows into the graceful wine vessels and alluring human forms infused in my creations.

I explore how to tickle viewers senses in ways they have not seen in typical wine-themed art. I imagine surprising, surreal wine scenarios: Sensual. Seductive. Tantalizing. Romantic. Playful. It's almost as if I produce advertisements for the wine industry.

Cropping my wine narratives to a close-up of the pertinent elements dramatically zooms-in on an intimate view of the novel event -- It suggests an engaging storyline and some mystery for the viewer. I think people are looking for a simple elegance in artwork that separates it from the ordinary. That is my goal in blending fantasy with reality. I aim to grab the viewers' attention: "Wow! I've never seen anything like that!"

Most people don't realize how much thought, creativity and risk of failure goes into each painting. Like grapevines selected for wine production, the idea for a painting is nurtured, allowed to grow and take form through pruning and reshaping. As with wine after the harvest, the images are distilled and refined before they are served up for enjoyment. My art is a visual elixir of seductive, unexpected twists on wine.

My fascination with uncommon wine themes began when I competed creatively to promote a premiere wine event. Before this challenge, I created sensual floras, usually from some form of visual inspiration. The only inspiration this time was an imposed "Wine on the Vine" theme. I pondered all the "typical" wine images I had seen, but I wanted an exceptional concept to illustrate that theme.

As a starting point, I considered abstract wine bottles among grapevines. While sketching some robust, curvaceous wine bottles, I got a brainsmack! I could encase a cluster of grapes inside open wine bottles growing from grapevines! I was juiced!

As I continued sketching, ideas for the painting flowed -- glistening highlights, colored reflections and shadows in the grapes, bottles, and leaves revealed form and transparency. I added a pearly textured moon with light radiating around it into an evening sky. The wind-blown grape leaves, climbing tendrils and the skewed placement of the wind-tossed bottles, echoed the radiating pattern of the moonlit sky. It was an elegant, serene, scene that said, "Wine on the Vine" just about as well as anything could, in my opinion.

That experience, creating something entirely from my imagination, taught me what can be when I trust my imagination to lead me. Because that painting was so popular, I created more wine paintings. My wine images promoted the 2004 Art About Wine Exhibit, the 2005 Umpqua Valley Wine, Art & Music Festival and the Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Greatest of the Grape in 2006, 2011 and 2013. In 2009, one of my wine images won a wine label design contest for the Downtown Initiative for Visual Arts, (DIVA) in Eugene, OR.

When viewers connect emotionally with my art, when they experience it, the art is complete. I hope people feel about my art the way they feel about good wine -- I hope it elicits pleasure and enhances your life experience.

vineyard paintings

See more of Sandi Whetzel's art here

Current Painting Still at my Easel ... A PEEK AT MY PAINTING IN PROGRESS/Artist Confessions

2014-04-01T18:13:00.000-07:00


Ruby Red Original, Sold--(Prints Available) Her Popularity Became the Inspiration for a Sequel Artwork

Ruby Red was practically snatched off my easel by a recent client. The popularity of this painting inspired me to create a sequel painting -- A blonde version with a white wine pour.


THE FACE - A SKETCHY IDEA

INSPIRATION FOR THE WINE POUR:

For the white wine pouring over her head, I chose Chardonnay for its color and also, because I could have a bit of fun with a "word play" on that varietal. I will call the painting, "Chardonnae". Usually, a painting title doesn't come to mind until after I create a painting. I got a wine buzz!

FACE IN THE GOBLET:

For my painting reference photo, I chose a three-quarter facial view of a blonde, instead of a full-frontal view. This choice differentiates the painting from its predecessor, but not without challenges. Portraits are the most difficult subject to paint. Add to that, the fast drying time of acrylics makes blending soft edges more difficult. Also, acrylics dry noticeably darker than when they were mixed wet.

WHY DO I FREQUENTLY CHOOSE COMPLEX PORTRAIT PAINTING SUBJECTS IN MY WINE-THEMED PAINTINGS?

I'm establishing myself as a contemporary "go to" wine artist who celebrates the wine experience differently than the ordinary wine art genre does. That involves creating wine art not typically seen. I haven't seen any women's faces or bodies in wine vessels the way that I render them. I hope to create sensual, elegant, simplicity in my wine narratives. Zooming in to intimate views of realistic or abstract human forms seems to engage viewers (and me) more. It's a challenge that fascinates me.

BEYOND SKIN DEEP & ONWARD

GOING BEYOND SKIN DEEP:

After rendering her face similar to the reference photo, I realized she needed more dimension than was evident from the photo, especially on the left side. Without a subtle change in plane from the side to the front of her face, she literally appeared flat. The photographer used more than one light source to blow out most of the shadows cast by her features. Fashion photography intentionally avoids light that creates harsh shadows and lines to produce more flattering results. It was fine for the photo because her hand and her hair defined her well enough. Isolating her face from the rest of her head and including more of the side of her face with the three-quarter view, as I did in the goblet, created more of a portrait challenge. While I didn't want harsh shadows and features in my painting, I had to invent a more apparent light source and appropriate shading to define her facial forms.

COLOR CONFUSED/ADJUSTED

CHARDONNAY COLOR CONFUSION:

Considering my passion for wine art scenarios, it may surprise you to learn of my limited wine-tasting experience. I have never observed or tasted Chardonnay wine. (I do gravitate to white wines like Reisling and Pinot Gris.) For the painting wine pour, I googled "What color is Chardonnay?" I saw two kinds of Chardonnay pictured: One, pale yellow-green and one described as a golden copper-yellow, or saturated straw gold.

I headed back to my easel with that descriptive vision of coppery-gold in my mind's eye. Things went well with the painting. For some darker areas to define the streams of wine pouring, I used a burnt orange. Unfortunately, the oranges became so rich that the coppery-gold tones were overpowered. When the painting dried darker, as acrylics do, I had a rusty-orange redhead; not the sultry blonde I was aiming for. This would not do -- I had to get it right. Painting is a constant process of adjusting. Sometimes you just have to get it wrong before you discover how to get it right.

I revisited the Chardonnay illustrations at my computer. This time I noticed the color described as a coppery-gold was actually a yellow gold with a greenish cast. I mixed a more neutralized gold and started painting over the dominating orange tones. I feel I'm on the right track now. I'll probably replace the orange in the wine bottle with neutralized green casts. STAY TUNED FOR THE BIG FINISH IN THE NEXT POST...

Smartphone case, click here

UPCOMING ART EXHIBITS:

If you are local to Roseburg, I invite you to attend an artist reception for myself and two other artists, Susan Rudisill and Andrew Duclos at Fisher's Flowers & Fine Art, 638 W. Harrison St, Roseburg, OR on this Friday, 4/4/2014 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Fisher's is near the corner of Harvard and Harrison. The art receptions at Fisher's are popular for their fine art, delicious treats and fine wine tasting. I have a few large, sensual wine paintings on display at Fisher's from now through June 27, 2014. I'd enjoy visiting with you in this relaxed, fun venue if you attend the reception this Friday.

Sandi's vibrant, textured floras are hanging at Ticor Title Insurance and next door she has a few wine paintings on display at Fortress Financial, 180 Lithia Way, Ashland, OR through April 2014. These are new venues for Ashland's First Friday Artwalk, April 4th.

wine fantasy prints
See more of Sandi's art at her website

New Art Venue Joins First Friday ArtWalk LineUp in Ashland, OR March 7, 2014

2014-03-05T13:31:00.000-08:00


Strawberry Flapjack 20x20 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel

Ticor Title Insurance proudly introduces their expansive business quarters during their debut as a First Friday Artwalk destination in Ashland, OR. Adorned with Sandi Whetzel's vibrant, contemporary, flora art through the end of April, the business seeks to become a popular art venue.

The first Friday of each month, the public is invited to stroll the historical downtown railroad districts, exploring the visual and tasty treats at many participating art venues from 5-8 p.m. Ticor, located at 180 Lithia Way, near the corner of Lithia Way and First Street, is near the center of some of the popular art stops. Ticor will serve wine and chocolates to art observers this Friday and April 4th.

Chantilly Lace 18x18 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel

Ticor management requested Sandi Whetzel's art via Ashland Art Center's ART2Business program because they felt her uniquely textured, graceful floras complemented their contemporary, wide-open space. Sandi is pleased to have her art hanging on the walls of such a spacious, contemporary building. There is plenty of elbow room to comfortably browse the exhibit space at your leisure while sipping wine.

Sandi Whetzel says, "I think people are looking for a simple elegance in an artwork that separates it from the ordinary. That is my goal in blending fantasy with reality. I aim to grab the viewer's attention: Wow! I've never seen anything like that!"

Besides her graceful, sensual floras, Sandi is becoming known for her paintings celebrating the wine experience. Her wine narratives tickle viewers senses in ways they have not seen in typical wine-themed art. She renders surprising, surreal wine scenarios: Sensual. Seductive. Tantalizing. Romantic. Playful. It's almost as if she produces advertisements for the wine industry. See more of Sandi Whetzel's art here .

Get an Up-Close, Intimate View of My Art:Wine Art Prints on Smart Phone Covers, Too!

2013-12-08T23:26:00.000-08:00

Romance on the Vine 22x28 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel

Full-Resolution of cropped "Romance on the Vine"

Get an up-close-and-personal view of the gold leafed, metallic sheen and texture in this original painting. I professionally scanned this original to reproduce the metallic properties of the gold leaf as closely as possible to the original. However, you won't see this close-up detail of the image on-line, unless you view portions of the painting in full-resolution, as in the cropped portion above. I explain how to view full-resolution portions of all my images at my website a little later in this post. It's really easy to do. It's a feature built-into the site.

You will be amazed at the clarity of prints this high-resolution file will produce. Photographing art for print is difficult, but reproducing gold leaf has been a real challenge. Prints of this image will reproduce the metallic shimmer and texture of the gold leafing amazingly. Can you imagine how awesome this print will look on shiny metal?

To see full-resolution portions of my paintings on-line, click on any painting from the home page listing at my website: After clicking the image on the home page, the image appears larger on a separate page. Hover your mouse over the image and click on the framed area that appears. In a few seconds, a high-resolution close-up of that portion will appear -- you can see incredible details of the image. Move the mouse to different sections of the image for more high-res close-ups. It's the next best thing to seeing the original in person.

The High-Res feature can only be accessed by clicking images from the home page-- it is not active once you've opted to look at the image in any of the print option modes, such as canvas prints or metal prints, etc. Looking at the images in High-Res mode will give you confidence in the print quality the image shows.

I wish I could show you on-line how dramatic the images reproduce on shimmering metal prints, but photography for the web cannot capture the sleek, incredible shine of prints produced on metal -- you have to see them in person to witness the drama, depth and richness of colors.

You can see five of my wine metal prints displayed in the new Artisan's Gallery at the Roseburg Valley Mall, located at 1144 NW Garden Valley Blvd., #250, Roseburg, OR. Here's the link to their website:

More great news!! My metal prints at Artisan's Gallery are priced the same as they are at my website! (after shipping is calculated for website orders).

Bella di Vino smartphone cover

For you or a wine enthusiast on your gift list, Customize your iPhone or Galaxy phone cover with my art! You can order a custom iPhone or Galaxy phone case with one of my wine or flora images printed on it at this website: (The site mirrors my other website, but the smart phone covers are best ordered at this site.) Just click on any of the art images and then scroll down to select the iPhone or Galaxy Cover print option. Then select your iPhone or Galaxy model to fit your smart phone. You can view just how the image will appear on your smart phone. You can customize the size and position of the image on the case by clicking and dragging the image up or down or to either side and using the horizontal scroll bar to the right of the image to make the image larger or smaller. The case color (white or black) will only be visible if you shrink the image so that it does not fill the entire case. A warning will pop up to let you know that. Each iPhone case comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

A note to save you time when choosing images for your smart phone cover:
Not all the images are going to look well in a smart phone format because key elements of the image may be hidden by the openings on your phone. I tried a number of them to see how they appear in phone cover format. Keep in mind where your phone model openings are in relation to the image. Some of the images can be adjusted to the left or right or up and down to yield a better look. It's something you can play around with a bit to come up with a unique image for the wine loving, phone user on your list. It just might be YOU! Merry Christmas!

What's in YOUR Goblet? Going with the wine flow...Sandi Whetzel's Recent Wine Art Fantasy

2013-11-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

Ruby Red 11x14 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel

I was fascinated by an idea to paint a woman's face nestled inside a wine goblet, but I was undecided about how to incorporate that idea into a winning painting-- I like my art to be sensual or whimsical, but not cartoon-ish. I had no problem envisioning a feminine face conforming to a goblet shape--But just a woman's face inside a goblet, without anything to complete the top of her head-shape, yielded an awkward cut-off head effect. I was stuck. I hadn't decided how to resolve the incomplete-head-issue until I saw a woman with the most vibrant red hair I'd ever seen. That extremely red hair sparked the solution to my exceptional painting concept.

First I painted a beautiful woman's face inside the goblet. Then I painted red wine pouring from a wine bottle above her face, flowing onto her face, spilling over the goblet and around her face, like hair tresses. It is a robust wine flow, but it is an abstract/surrealistic painting--I can take liberties in the painting execution. Maybe execution is a poor choice of words considering my prior reference to a cut-off head--Maybe it is justified, if it helps you see the dilemma I was facing. (Sorry--I'm on a roll with metaphors.)

Ripe and sassy, this elegant red is firm and sinewy, yet balanced; it shows fine length and freshness, lingering easily and persisting on the lively finish. Several painting titles came to mind, but Ruby Red just seemed to fit better than any other.

I'm anxious to hear if Ruby Red is received as enthusiastically as I feel about her. I'm considering silk-screening the image onto women's black wine apparel. What do you think? Is it a dramatic rival to other wine diva-themed shirts on the market? Can you imagine this sizzling image printed on shiny metal?

I'd love to read what you think in the comments section below.

٠Other News: Sandi Whetzel's Wine Art Illuminates Roseburg Valley Mall's Artisan's Gallery with her shimmering prints on metal

I am excited for Roseburg area shoppers to see how shiny, shimmering, sleek, lustrous, scintillating and slick my wine art prints on metal appear. You just have to see them to believe how dramatic they are. See all five wine metal prints available for purchase at Artisan's Gallery . This is a newly-opened shop inside Roseburg Valley Mall, located at 1444 NW Garden Valley Blvd. #250, Roseburg, OR. They offer fine jewelry, unique gifts, art, and a precious metal exchange. They are right next to the book store and a must-see holiday shopping destination.

New Store in Roseburg Valley Mall

Click for wine prints
See more of Sandi's art here .

Henry Goes Wine: THE GRAPE ESCAPE Has Something for Everyone!

2013-08-07T11:38:00.001-07:00


Virtue in the Vines 16x16 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel

Henry Estate Winery has pulled out all the stops this year to make HENRY GOES WINE: the Grape Escape the place to be, Saturday, August 17, 2013. See sensual art and awesome wine shirts designed by Artist, Sandi Whetzel. Listen to mind-blowing music groups. Enjoy wine, delicious food, miniature golf play, wagon rides through the Vineyard, Wildlife Safari animals, horse rides, magic by Chuck, face painting, a petting zoo and summer market booths. You will be entertained. On the main stage Lee Koch, (appeared with The Voice), Joni Harms, Aulani Hula Halau and The Stone Foxes perform throughout the day and evening.

For ticket information, click or call 800-782-2686. Advance purchase of tickets are discounted from Gate Admission prices. Henry Estate Winery is located at 687 Hubbard Creek Road, Umpqua, Oregon.

Schedule of Events:

Music on the Main Stage:

12:00 - 2:00 pm     Lee Koch (Appeared on the Voice)
2:00 - 6:00 pm     Joni Harms
6:00 - 7:00 pm     Aulani Hula Halau
7:00 - 9:00 pm     The Stone Foxes

Other events:

3:30 - 6:30 pm      Smoked Salmon and Tri Tip BBQ $15 (or purchase in Advance, $13)
12:00   pm             Amateur Horseshoe Tournament
   1:00   pm             Miniature golf play
   1:00 - 7:00 pm Bouncy Houses and Petting Zoo
   1:00 - 9:00 pm     Wagon rides through the Vineyard
   2:00 - 4:00 pm     Wildlife Safari
   5:00 - 6:00 pm     Falcon Display

Other events include Winery Tours and Barrel Sampling, Dutch Bros Coffee, Douglas County RC Flyers, Fisherman's Grotto Seafood, Summer Market Booths and Wine Art by Sandi Whetzel. Be the first to see her art printed on sleek, shiny metal. You won't believe the depth and richness of colors on metal until you see them for yourself. Right next to Sandi's art booth see her wine shirt designs in Pour Accessories booth.

See more of Sandi's art .

Passion Morphs into Virtue: Artist, Sandi Whetzel's Recent Painting

2013-07-30T22:51:00.000-07:00

Virtue in the Vines 16x16 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel

During one of my "all-things-wine" modes of thought, I saw a simple line-drawing -- an eyebrow, eye, nose and lips bordered on the right side by a large comma-shaped line defining a woman's cheek and chin. A long curved line like the left half of a parenthesis mark stretched below the right side of her chin, forming the right side of her neck. Large generic leaves flowed around her facial features like hair. Leaf veins separated the leaves into sections like locks of hair rippling down her right cheek, exposing the line of her neck. A large leaf swooped over the left side of her face obscuring her left eye, cheek and neck. The facial shape and the slim exposed right side of her neck resembled a woman's face inside a wine goblet. Well, I was in "all-things-wine" mode -- an inspiration for a wine painting was hatched.

I intended to create a similar style painting of a woman's face shaped like a wine goblet with loose outlines of grape leaves representing hair sweeping over one side of her face and neck. The exposed side of her neck, expressed as a vertical curved line, formed the goblet stem. After I outlined her eyebrow, eye, nose and lips, my passion for a sensual, rather than an abstract portrayal took over. I might paint an abstract image inspired by that line drawing I saw sometime, but I couldn't bring myself to do it this time.

I ditched the idea of making her face and neck resemble the shape of a wine goblet. It would be more sensual to render her facial features realistically, as well as reveal her bare neck and shoulders--I was seduced.

I sketched many grape leaf shapes until I was satisfied with the way they layered around her face. While sketching I observed an awkward symmetrical placement of two same size leaves that resembled horns coming out of each side of her head -- thank goodness for the ability to re-do acrylic shapes. I also avoided a halo effect circling her head. It was a delicate balancing act to arrive at the most pleasing leaf configurations.

To add abstraction and a little mystery, I rendered her in shadowed reflections of the grape leaves in light and dark shades of green. To create a serene, earthy quality, I painted the grape leaves realistically; dominating in greens with color accents in the leaves and grapes only.

Choosing the painting title was difficult. I considered Vine Goddess, Goddess of the Vine, Venus and Venus of the Vine. They were all a little too obvious. Just as her focused engagement with viewers intrigues, I wanted more than an apt label to engage viewers. I thought about the beauty from within her and the vineyard -- virtue came to mind. I liked the ring of Virtue in the Vines. Besides honor, integrity, purity, love, value and worth, virtue also means innocence, morality, chastity. I reasoned that her demeanor, as well as her unclothed appearance, might suggest something other than virtue to some. However, I liked the ambiguity Virtue in the Vines might foster. Conversely, the grapes have not been touched; not harvested; not made into wine -- she is pristine; untouched; innocent. She is Virtue in the Vines.

See more of Sandi's art here . Upcoming Exhibits: Gallery NorthWest, 625 SE Jackson St., Roseburg, OR, 8/1/13 to 8/31/13. Opening Reception: 4:30 - 7:00 pm, Fri., 8/2/13 ~ Henry Goes Wine: the Grape Escape at Henry Estate Winery, 687 Hubbard Creek Road, Umpqua, OR, 8/17/13. For tickets and schedule of entertainment, click Sandi will will show some of her extremely shiny prints on metal. Be one of the first to see this sleek, contemporary new print media. You won't believe the depth and richness in prints on metal! vine goddess metal prints

My Art Copied in Las Vegas Without My Permission: Should I Be Upset? What Was the Outcome?

2013-04-07T21:05:00.001-07:00

Wine Affair ©Sandi Whetzel

Wino Wine Bottle

Imagine my surprise when I saw that a Las Vegas business intended to use an obvious imitation of my painting, Wine Affair, (above left) for one of their events. For a nominal fee the restaurant and painting studio provides painting materials to guests who are guided through a re-creation of the featured painting of the evening. Participants paint, socialize and dine on gourmet foods and partake of alcoholic beverages offered for purchase. What a novel concept for introducing people to a "painting experience" while capitalizing on the sale of food and beverages during the event! It sounds like a lot of fun. Above right, is the featured painting they intended to be re-created at the painting event April 17th, 2013. Is it inspired by my painting? Is it a copy of my painting? I'd be interested in what you think.

I think there are too many obvious similarities in the two paintings to leave any doubt this version was copied from my painting. First, I know my painting is an original. I created it out of my head from scratch in 2010. I had not seen anything like it anywhere before. The goblet is from my cupboard, but I painted it abstractly. I worked long and hard on several sketches of the goblet before settling on its shapely placement.

The treatment, shapes and placement of the goblet, bottle and moon are nearly identical. The swirls in and around the moon and around the bottle are another giveaway. The colors and their placement in the bottle closely resemble those in my wine bottle. The painter chose to use a shorter canvas format and alter the angles of the goblet slightly in an effort to change their version and avoid copyright infringement. However, as complicated as it is to determine copyright infringement, one guideline is:

The test of an infringement is whether an ordinary person would determine that one work is copied from the other; the copying need not be exact.

My first gut reaction when I saw this painting was to smile and feel good that somebody was so inspired by my Wine Affair painting that they wished to create their version of it for use in their business. The familiar quote, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" came to mind. I had to laugh at the mere prospect that my work might be famous enough to be copied! If I had thought this imitation would reduce my ability to profit from reproductions of my painting, I would have been furious and demanded recourse. However, I did not feel it would be a threat to the sale of my original or reproductions of it.

Wino Wine Bottle is a playful piece. The sad thing about this imitation is that several sacrifices in the re-design of the painting were made, either in an attempt to differentiate it from my painting, or maybe the artist just didn't know about more aesthetically pleasing elements of design. Even sadder is that they would have been encouraging their class participants to repeat those design flaws by copying the mistakes.

Crowding the bottle and the moon too closely to the top of the canvas and squeezing the bottom of the goblet and bottle too close to the bottom of the canvas makes the composition look awkward and amateurish. The weight of the goblet and bottle appear to be falling through the bottom of the canvas.

Allowing the goblet to share its edge with the curving silhouette of the bottle creates another awkward "crowded" sensation. One of the objects should be placed behind the other, or leaving some space between them would avoid the awkward look. I also feel that the color of the wine next to the harsh white of the goblet appears garish.

If I were a vindictive person, I might have seen an opportunity to go after this business for their copyright infringement and possibly be awarded a large sum of money. In this situation, I don't feel it would have been worth the frustration. What do you think? You can either email me your thoughts from the link at the right sidebar, or you can use the comments section below this post.

EPILOGUE: Right after I first posted this blog I started thinking about the repercussions of having copied versions of my painting floating around the country and the internet if the business had used it. If people saw the copy and then saw my Wine Affair original, might someone question whether I had copied Wino Wine Bottle instead of it being the opposite situation? And was it fair for participants not to know they were copying copyrighted art? I also wondered how many other artists' work might be exploited if I kept silent. I contacted the restaurant and studio to inform them of their copyright infringement. I am happy to report, they have ceased advertising Wino Wine Bottle as the featured painting and will not use it for their event.

By the way, the original of Wine Affair and reproductions of it and other of my paintings are available at my new print-on-demand website . sensual wine art art

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Simultaneous Exposure of Sandi Whetzel's Wine Art at Seven Feathers Casino Resort March 2, 2013

2013-02-28T23:54:00.000-08:00

Grape de Menthe ©Sandi Whetzel

Jewels of the Vine ©Sandi Whetzel

Call it serendipity or just blind luck--My wine art will be featured at Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville, Oregon in two different exhibits on the evening of March 2, 2013.

I am the featured artist of the "Greatest of the Grape" event from 7-11 p.m. in the Seven Feathers convention center March 2. (Tickets for that event have already sold out.) I also have two paintings hanging in Seven Feathers Gallery 7 on the first floor near the hotel lobby, across from the River Rock Spa as part of the "Vineyards" exhibit. That exhibit opens March 2 and runs through June 5. The artworks of 15 various media artists represent vineyards, grapes, wine and the wine industry of the Pacific Northwest. Opening Reception for "Vineyards" is from 5-7 p.m. March 2 in Seven Feathers Kabi Cafe. Gallery 7 is open 24 hours, seven days a week. Admission is free. For a sneak peek at the art in Gallery 7, visit

There's never enough time to set up my art booth at the "Greatest of the Grape", but if I can manage to be set up by 5-6 p.m., I will do my best to quickly trot across the expanse of Seven Feathers to put in a brief appearance at the Gallery 7 reception for "Vineyards". There will be 5 awards including a Purchase Award" presented during the reception at 6 p.m. In addition to that presentation, I will enjoy meeting the people in attendance. Wish I could be two places at once.

The original of my painting, Grape de Menthe, (used to promote the "Greatest of the Grape") is one of the paintings hanging in the "Vineyards" exhibit in Gallery 7. A high quality hand-embellished giclee reproduction on gallery wrap canvas of that painting will be auctioned off during the "Greatest of the Grape". Wish I could clone myself, too.

To see more of Sandi's art, visit her website

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An Artful Valentine to My Art Fans: Abstraction, Romance, Elegance and Simplicity Revealed in My Recent Art

2013-02-13T22:10:00.000-08:00

An Invitation to Romance 12x24 acrylic © Sandi Whetzel

How can abstraction and romance, elegance and simplicity all be used to describe my most recent paintings? These terms may seem somewhat contradictory, but they are all revealed in my three most recent paintings. Let me explain...

The first one, An Invitation to Romance, definitely suggests romance with the strewn rose petals leading the way to the elegant goblet and bottle of wine, waiting to be served up. The drama of the elegant evening colors against the black and atmospheric blues is devoid of distracting, extraneous elements. This drama and simplicity, exude romance and elegance, by design.

Wine Dream 16x20 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel

The second image, Wine Dream, is an abstraction of a wine pour in a delicate goblet shape that forms a woman bathing in wineful bliss. Yes, the goblet itself is actually missing; adding to the abstraction of the piece. The simplicity and drama of the red, gold and black, as well as the shapely woman could inspire romance. This concept, so minimal in design, needed more elements. I decided to add the metallic gold and red ribbon-like strips and the red sentimental words to add some more simplicity, elegance, romance and abstraction elements to the piece.

The third image, Simply Wine!, an abstraction of a wine bottle and goblets is a simple, contemporary design with minimal detail. It's that simplicity of design against the dramatic black background that gives it abstraction and elegance.

Simply Wine! 12x24 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel

So, to all my loyal art fans, I want to wish you a happy Valentines Day. I hope I've inspired you to put a little romance into your life; even if it's only to look at some contemporary romantic art. That's my Valentine's gift to you.

I've included the fourth image, Grape de Menthe, because it is an abstraction of grapes and because the Umpqua Valley Winegrowers have selected it to promote the "Greatest of the Grape" event March 2nd. To learn the inspiration behind that painting and details of the "Greatest of the Grape", http://bit.ly/14TuaXk

To see more of Sandi's art and order originals and reproductions in various print options, visit Sandi's website

Follow @artistsandi

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"Grape de Menthe" by Artist, Sandi Whetzel, Promotes 2013 "Greatest of the Grape"

2013-02-13T15:30:00.000-08:00

Grape de Menthe 30x24 acrylic©Sandi Whetzel

These grapes have earned their stripes, literally. In my quest to capture the interest of grape and wine lovers, I wanted to do something really different and fun with grapes.
The Umpqua Valley WineGrowers liked this painting so much they picked it to promote the "Greatest of the Grape" gala event March 2, 2013.

I liked this sketch of a cluster of grapes because it had so many different shapes of grapes; some round and some showing off the oblong side views of grapes.

I decided to paint the background of large violet stripes even before I knew how I would render the grapes. After a while it became apparent that the grapes could be striped as well. I finally resorted to using a magic marker to stripe a chicken egg so that I could observe what would happen to the stripes on it when I viewed it from various angles. As a result, each grape assumes its own personality.

The grapes situated in the rear of the cluster recede because I used cooler colors to set them back. The grapes take on even more dimension with the addition of shadows cast below them and a warm, golden light at the top of the grapes exposed to direct sunlight.

It was a challenge to come up with a title for this painting. The striped grapes reminded me of mint candies. Then I remembered that there is a liqueur, creme de menthe, that is a sweet, mint-flavored alcoholic beverage. It was fitting that these striped minty grapes destined for wine lovers should be called "Grape de Menthe". It was fun and challenging to dream up this new fun twist on grapes.
A hand-embelllished giclee reproduction of Grape de Menthe on gallery wrapped canvas will be auctioned off to the highest bidder at the "Greatest of the Grape" event.

For event and ticket information visit . To see more of Sandi's art and to order reproductions on paper, gallery wrap canvas, metal or on acrylic film, plus art greeting cards, visit her new website .
Follow @artistsandi

Expose Yourself 2013! A Public Hanging of Oregon Artists 'Exposing Themselves?' Sandi Whetzel Exposes Three Wine Inspired Paintings During A Public Hanging of Oregon Artists

2013-01-13T14:56:00.000-08:00

"Stroked Ego" 16x20 acrylic©Sandi Whetzel

'A public hanging of Oregon Artists exposing themselves' ... Now if that doesn't get your attention, I don't know what will. Sounds frightful and maybe a little distasteful to me, but of course, Umpqua Valley Arts Association doesn't mean that literally. It's UVA's biennial "Expose Yourself" exhibit of Oregon artists and it is free and open to the public from January 18 through February 28, 2013. It is actually billed as "A Public Hanging of Oregon Artists", though. I didn't make that up.

Please forgive my paraphrasing ploy to get your attention. If you're reading this far, I guess it worked. It's kind of like what I do with my art. I have to get your attention and hold it long enough to engage you on some level. Everything I paint is designed to do that and more. My art has to make you feel good, or inspired, or peaceful, or grounded; entertain you, impress you and those who see it on your walls, spark conversation and make you feel glad that you have it hanging on your wall.

My art is a reflection of some part of me that resonates with some part of you. I work very hard on that reflection of myself. I guess I'm in an "expose yourself" mood, but I just couldn't resist sharing that little tidbit before a captive audience. Before I lose you, though, I'd love to see you at the opening reception of "Expose Yourself" at Umpqua Valley Arts Association, from 5-7 pm, Friday, January 18, 2013. It is located at 1624 W. Harvard Ave. in Roseburg, Oregon.

My three wine paintings will be competing for "Best Use of Humor", "Most Innovative Use of Material", "Size Matters", and "Best Title". I created these paintings without this competition in mind, but they do meet the criterion for the categories, so who knows. The main thing is, it should be a fun evening, seeing all the submissions and taking part in the refreshments offered.

I shared this stylized self-portrait, "Stroked Ego", in this post because I don't often get the opportunity to share it and it just seemed to fit the "Expose Yourself" theme. This is the only self portrait I have done. I enjoyed painting it. It hangs in my office and I can look up from my computer and see her smiling at me whenever I want. She makes me feel good about myself and she never judges me. To see the actual photo of me that inspired it and read the story behind the painting, click here .

Late breaking news!! I have a new website to order high quality reproductions of my art printed on various substrates; paper, gallery wrapped canvas, metal, or on acrylic panel, as well as greeting card art. You can now order online and have them shipped directly to you. The company that reproduces the art has 40 years experience producing museum quality prints. Fine Art America offers a 100% money-back guarantee of satisfaction. Matting and Framing of the reproductions are available, too, so you can see how those options will look before you purchase.

You can see all the wine art reproductions (and original art) at my new website . (If you want to make note of it, it is Sandi-Whetzel.artistwebsites.com.) Time permitting, I'll be adding all my floras to the website, too. Please keep this affordable art option in mind for your gift-giving and personal art collection. I'd love it if you share the website with your friends and relatives.

Other news: Once again the "Greatest of the Grape" has picked one of my images to promote the event March 2, 2013. This is the third time they have used my image for this prestigious event. My "Grape de Menthe" painting is on the posters, postcards and tickets to promote the event. A high qualityhand-embellished reproduction on gallery wrapped canvas will be auctioned off during the evening gala. I am the featured artist hanging my wine art at the event. For event and ticket information click here
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To see more of Sandi's art, visit her website .

SIMPLY WINE! Most recent wine-themed painting by artist, Sandi Whetzel

2012-12-26T14:53:00.000-08:00

Simply Wine! 12x24 ©Sandi Whetzel

Simple elegance, simply wine! And if there was any doubt, the cursive written wine design on the abstracted wine bottle literally spells it out. The inspiration for this abstract wine painting was the placement of two dining forks facing together so that their combined shape resembles a wine goblet, with hints of the fork tines serving as highlights.

First I sketched the design and decided that leaving out the top rims of the goblets and letting the goblet stems and wine bottle bottom fade into the background added to the simplicity of the design. The open feeling from the goblet stems up through the open rimless goblets was a calculated decision, as was making the one goblet stand taller, thinner and longer than the other one and making the tops and bottoms of the designs fade back to red. I chose the rainbow of colors ranging from red, orange, yellow orange and yellow to pop against the black background. It's a simple, elegant design that took more thought than you might realize to create a simple, elegant, contemporary abstract painting. Because this well-thought design took less effort to execute, it will sell for less than other more complicated detailed paintings of the same size. It looks great on my sun-washed clay wall until somebody scoops it up from my next wine exhibit event. Until then, I'm really enjoying its elegant simplicity and its getting rave reviews.

In other news, the Umpqua Valley Winegrowers of Oregon have once again picked one of my art images to promote the 2013 Greatest of the Grape event. They chose my Grape de Menthe painting of magenta and white striped grapes. See it here It will be on the posters, post cards and tickets to promote the event which occurs March 2nd, 2013 from 7-11 p.m. at the Seven Feathers Hotel and Casino, in Canyonville, OR. I will be exhibiting as the Featured Artist at the event. A hand-embellished high quality giclee reproduction of Grape de Menthe on gallery wrapped canvas will be auctioned off at the event. For ticket information click

To quickly see more of Sandi's art, visit

Alternative Art Venue in Ashland, OR Welcomes Artist, Sandi Whetzel's Mood Enhancing Art

2012-12-05T15:32:00.002-08:00

A kaleidoscope of breathtaking color and graceful, animated images will lift your mood as you savor Sandi Whetzel's vibrant art at Royce Realty's opening reception during Ashland's First Friday Art Walk, December 7. Wine and finger foods will be offered at Royce's reception for the artist beginning at 5:00 p.m. Although Sandi lives nearly a 2 hour drive from Ashland, she plans to attend the reception and is eager to meet her art viewers.

Whetzel's contemporary acrylic paintings are distinguished by her passion for curvilinear lines, shapes and harmonious color. The radiant chroma, stimulating motifs and rhythmic movements throughout Sandi's art works are sure to tickle your senses. These contemporary art pieces will complement many home interiors exquisitely. Sandi is also known for her signature paintings to promote the Oregon wine industry. You can see more of Sandi's art here . To learn more about Sandi and her art visit here .

The gallery space at Royce is a great example of Whetzel's willingness to explore creative venues for sharing her engaging art. Royce Realty is located at 145 E Main St., in the heart of downtown Ashland, across from Starbucks and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Theatres and a short walk from the Art Center, the hub of Ashland art. The staff at Royce Realty encourages visitors to feel free to stop by and browse Sandi's art during the month of December, pick up a brochure or a map, get the latest information on the local Ashland real estate market, or just ask for a good restaurant suggestion.

Royce has requested Sandi Whetzel's art to enhance and draw interest to their space during the month of December as part of Ashland Art Center's Art2Business program. Participating Art2Businesses choose art from a large screened pool of qualified, talented professional artists with a variety of styles and media. This alternative art venue benefits the artists with greater exposure to their art, intrigues clientele, improves employee morale and draws exposure to the businesses from participation in the Art Walks.

Recently the Arts Center has added a free shuttle service to the Art2Business art venues during the First Friday Art Walks. The shuttle, provided by Cascade Shuttle and Art2B, completes its route covering all the Art2B sites every 30 minutes from 5 to 8 p.m. A list of Art2B stops and the route is available as a handout from the Ashland Art Center where the shuttle begins its route and returns every half hour during First Friday evenings.

2012-11-03T12:29:00.001-07:00

Let Freedom Ring! 12x12 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel
Originally uploaded by sandiwhetzel

Please join me in a toast to the freedom and liberties we enjoy in the United States of America: "Let Freedom Ring!"

My recent art focus has been on the pleasures of wine. As an artist, I wondered how I could express my appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy in America within the context of my wine-themed art. This is what I was inspired to create. For most of my life I have taken our freedom for granted; being assured that we would always have it. Over the last few years and more recently, I have realized that we are in danger of losing our freedoms. I've never been overly patriotic. However, when we are in danger of losing our liberties, then we begin to prize them as the treasures they truly are. I hope that in some small way, I have inspired you to appreciate, protect and defend the freedom we have been blessed with in this great land of the free and the brave. "Let Freedom Ring!"

"Moonlight on the Vine" Unveiled at Seven Feathers Casino Convention Center: 3rd Annual Southern Oregon Festival of Arts

2012-09-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

This, my most recent wine series painting, is unlike any other I have created so far. My photography cannot do justice to the textures of the designs carved in molding paste, or the shimmering of metallic gold pigment and marble-like background textures. This one must be seen in person to appreciate its elegant intricacies. As soon as I finish publishing this post, I'll be adding the finishing touches to this contemporary painting. I'm proud to show it as part of my lineup of "wine pairings" during the 3rd Annual Southern Oregon Festival of Arts.

Seven Feathers Casino Resort Convention Center will host the 3rd annual Southern Oregon Festival of Arts on Saturday, Oct. 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Canyonville, OR, just off I-5. Enjoy browsing fine art and other creations by Oregon artists and artisans. The variety ranges from one of a kind jewelry makers, pottery artisans, wood working and photography. Artists will show abstract, floral, western and wine-themed works in oil, watercolor and acrylics. This is the ideal place to browse for gifts or for yourself. Enjoy live music by four local groups as you browse this select group of artisans' distinctive offerings.

In addition to the festival, nearby in the same building are two other events. The Jefferson State Antique Bottle and Collector Show and Sale and Stampfest 2012 for stamp collectors are both celebrating their 10th year at Seven Feathers. If you attend any of these events, please stop by my space at the Art Festival and introduce yourself.

To see more of Sandi Whetzel's art in a slideshow, click here , or for a more detailed look at her art, click here .

Tantalizing, Artistic Wine Pairing at 2012 UV Wine, Art & Music Festival

2012-08-30T13:56:00.001-07:00

"Mmm ..." 12x24 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel
Originally uploaded by sandiwhetzel

This tempting, sensual wine pairing will make it's artistic debut at the 43rd Annual Umqqua Valley Wine, Art and Music Festival in Roseburg, OR, Sept. 8 and 9, 2012.

"Mmm ..." he's thinking as he reaches for the wine bottle. But what is she thinking? If you could see a close-up of her facial expression she might be thinking, "Mmm, he's cute. I'm looking forward to him choosing me." Or, she could be thinking, "Mmm, could he be the one? Should I submit, or hold out for a better offer?" It just might be a shift in the power play between them. What's your wine fantasy?

When I came up with this concept for my most recent painting, I realized it was a pretty simple composition that needed a little more detail other than the man's hand reaching for the beautiful wine on a plain table. The addition of the checkered table cloth provided the necessary detail, as well as a little Italian restaurant ambiance. In the bargain, the treatment of the table cloth added a sense of depth perception leading up to the wine bottle and beyond. You might not realize how much thought and planning is required in the composition and execution of paintings I dream up.

Besides great wine and food and various artisan creations, festival attendees will be treated to thrilling music performances by the Lloyd Jones Band, DK Stewart Band, and Velvet Whiskey. For entertainment schedules, directions and ticket information visit here

Admission to the festival Saturday, from 11 am - 10 pm is $10 and Sunday from 11 am - 5 pm is $5. Children ages 12 and under are admitted free. There will be free wine sensory and cooking with wine classes, as well as the Cool Rides Car Show. Other activities include Umpqua's Got Talent Finals, Motorcycle Show, Wiener Dog Races, German Band, Wineries, various Artisans, Beer and Food Booths and Family Fun Activities.

Lloyd Jones, Portland, OR roots artist, combines New Orleans rhythms, the simplicity of Memphis music and the rawness of the blues, all for the 21st century. This music is not about louder and faster. It's about time, meter and groove.

DK Stewart has been a guiding force behind several North West bands that have gone on to national acclaim. Tributes to New Orleans, Chicago blues, East coast swing and rockin' boogie woogie can be heard in all the original music by this thrilling band.

If you attend this festival I hope you'll stop by to see my art in my booth 10A and introduce yourself. I'll be serving up 6 new refreshing varietals among my growing series of wine acrylic paintings. It will be a dose of visual intoxication without guilt or consequences. You can see more of my art here

Romance on the Vine at Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival

2012-08-12T16:23:00.001-07:00

Sandi Whetzel's art will be featured at the Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival August 24-26, 2012 at Esther Short Park, 8th & Columbia streets in Vancouver, WA.

I'm not a jazz connoisseur, but I am pumped up about hearing Jose Feliciano and the musical group WAR at this new venue for showing my art. Remember, WAR was famous for "Why Can't We Be Friends?", "Low Rider", "Cisco Kid", "Spill the Wine" and many more hits. That's part of Friday evening's line-up. And Sunday evening Jose Feliciano, one of the greatest guitar players on the planet, performs.

If you are planning a visit to the area, this should be a fun event to attend. Besides wine and great food and all the art, they have quite a lineup of musical entertainment slated over the the three day event. You can hear a mix of fusion, contemporary and jazz classics; incredible blues--ranging from rock-infused music to southern "New Orleans" style genres; and Latin jazz...so here it is: WAR, (Friday night), Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, The Brubeck Brothers Jazz Quartet, Yellowjackets, The Rippingtons, Marcia Ball, Diane Schuur, and the legendary Jose Feliciano, (Sunday night). Seven other regional jazz groups will perform throughout the weekend. You can view the performance schedule, directions and ticket information here

If you plan a visit to the area that weekend and take in the festival, please find my booth and stop in to say "hi". I'm hoping to have my most recent painting of a girl in a wine bottle looking up toward the man who's hand is reaching for the wine bottle; waiting patiently to see if he will liberate her from her confines. I'm rushing back to my easel to work on it. Hope to see you soon.

You can see more of my art here

2012-04-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

Wineoceros Wine Club Launches Website: Wine Art by Southern Oregon Artist, Sandi Whetzel

"It's not just about the wine...Wineoceros Wine Club offers a unique, unpretentious approach to open up products and lifestyles that are exciting and valuable to its members...Like fine wine, fine art has an important place in the interior decor of every Wineoceros. We search the talented art community of Southern Oregon and beyond to bring our members the best and most unique in wine-themed art. We've chosen contemporary fine artist, Sandi Whetzel of Oregon as our first featured artist because we love her sensual wine-themed art."

Sandi's wine inspired art has been tickling the senses of wine lovers for some time now. Her art was chosen to promote Oregon's premiere wine event, The Greatest of the Grape in 2006 and 2011 and the 2005 Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Wine, Art & Music Festival. In 2009 her design won the wine label contest for Eugene, Oregon's Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts, (DIVA). Her sizzling image of Wine on the Vine II became the label for several hundred bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon used for fund raising events for that organization.

Whetzel relates, "I try to come up with exceptional wine inspired concepts and render them with a goal of making my art have a lasting visual impact; to stand out indelibly in the viewers' memory. Hopefully, they will be enthralled, enchanted or moved to smile. I am thrilled that Wineoceros Wine Club selected my wine images as offerings on their new website. It's a great pairing."

Currently three of Whetzel's flora art are exhibited at the Rogue Gallery and Art Center, 40 S Bartlett St, Medford, OR through April 27, 2012. Others of her flora series are gracing the walls of Pangea Grills & Wraps, 272 E Main, Ashland, OR through May 7, 2012. You can see more of Sandi's art here

Keep an eye out for what else is in store to enhance your total wine experience at Wineoceros Wine Club by visiting here

Sizzling Art Update: A Sneak Peek at Sandi Whetzel's most recent wine painting, "What's in YOUR Goblet?"

2011-11-21T16:58:00.000-08:00

I'm always asking myself, "What feelings do people associate with wine and how can I express those feelings in exceptional ways in my art?" I want my viewers to connect and engage emotionally with my paintings. I'm always looking for the "Wow Factor". I'm finding that a sentimental, romantic hook has been fun and effective.

My most recent painting will probably have most appeal to women, but I hope that men will also appreciate the sentiment this painting evokes. I've set the stage very simply for a little poolside delight. It's a wine fantasy from a woman's perspective.

She's grasping at the goblet of red wine. Can you imagine his surprise and his reaction to her when the wine settles and he opens his eyes? Does he know he's being watched as he splish splashes in the wine? Does he even know her? Does she know him or is he just some dream hunk she's conjured up in her mind? What does she look like? Can you imagine her anticipation? You get to complete the fantasy.

What's in YOUR goblet? Do you want what she's having? Are you smiling now? How would this guilt-free pleasure look on your wall? Wouldn't it be a great conversation piece? How will it make you feel whenever you look at it?

Too see more of Sandi Whetzel's art, click here

ALTERNATIVE ART VENUES AND LOCAL ARTISTS RESPOND TO ECONOMIC TIMES: AFFORDABLE ART & HOLIDAY GIFT SHOW IN MEDFORD, OREGON

2011-11-11T12:02:00.000-08:00

Local artists and savvy shoppers looking for affordable, exceptional holiday gifts have a rare opportunity to connect in Medford, Oregon during the Affordable Art and Holiday Gift Show, Friday and Saturday, November 18-19, 2011. Artists will display reasonably priced art works to respond to these economic times and encourage people to buy locally created art items with suggested price points under $100 and $200. A special venue will host these participating artists in the Higher Education Center located at 101 S. Bartlett Street. The hours of this special sale are 5-8 pm Friday, and 10 am-5 pm Saturday. The Opening evening coincides with Third Friday Art Walk in Downtown Medford, plus a Holiday Boutique at the Rogue Gallery across the street, and the Annual Gingerbread Jubilee at the nearby Craterian Theater.

One of the artists featured at the Higher Education Center, Sandi Whetzel, caters to wine enthusiasts, as well as uplifting contemporary flora inspired art. Her popular wine paintings have been used to promote the wine industry in Oregon. Whetzel will offer a few reasonably priced, stunning flora originals and some high quality reproductions of her wine inspired art and floras. Sandi also has classy wine inspired apparel for men and women. There will be something for every budget.

Be sure to also check out Sandi's paintings across the street at the Rogue Gallery and Art Center. Whetzel has a painting, "Grape de Chine", featured in the Main Gallery as part of the "Smaller Than a Breadbox" exhibit, running through December 23. Opening reception for that exhibit is Friday evening from 5-8, coinciding with the 3rd Friday and the Affordable Art and Holiday Gift Show. Sandi wishes she could be both places at once, but she hopes to meet many visitors at the Higher Education Center. The artist also has three contemporary flora paintings hanging in the Members' Gallery space at the Rogue Gallery through April 28, 2012. Be sure to pull out all the innovative sliding walls in that area to see all of the art. You can see more of Sandi Whetzel's art here

KALEIDOSCOPIC EXHIBIT, Intimate Views of Foliage: Romancing the Curves--Seven Feathers Convention Center, 10/15/11

2011-10-02T13:45:00.000-07:00

A seductive flirtation with captivating, curvaceous shapes and vibrant color sparks my passion for creating contemporary acrylic paintings. I embrace the nuances in forms, color and patterns drawn from the plant world.

My fascination with engaging designs in nature entices me to play with the subjects in preliminary thumbnail sketches to enhance their formation. Part of the seduction is discovering how to integrate the figures and emphasize their tantalizing contours. The decision of where to crop the images makes them intimate with the edges of the canvas. The resulting spaces surrounding the objects become intriguing configurations in the design. I toy with the elements until I've coaxed them into a pleasing arrangement of energy and rhythm that accentuates their distinctive qualities.

My excitement builds as I brush the concept on canvas, anticipating how exquisitely the objects can be embellished with luscious color, sculptural brush strokes and tangible textures. My hand and the pigment-loaded brush become graceful dancing partners, tracing the silhouettes to reveal their structure on canvas.

I savor the freedom and the challenge of going beyond merely reproducing images; to paint them as I choose to visualize them. I hope to achieve an animated, sensuous or playful quality with the graceful motifs that are a recurrent theme in my art. When things are going well, the brush strokes express flourish and a sculpted, carved quality, softness or energy; whatever is needed to convey the character and emotional energy of the structures. Viewers are escorted through the paintings; impregnated with the emotions the configurations and colors convey. I consider my work to be most successful when people express how my paintings make them feel.

I hope the celebration and interplay of forms, patterns and colors in my art provides joy, inspiration and sanctuary to individuals during stressful times of their lives. I create because it gives me pleasure to discover and embellish beauty in nature. I delight in having some degree of control in this one aspect of my life where I can see and render subjects as I choose to visualize them.

You can see Sandi Whetzel's upcoming exhibit, KALEIDOSCOPE, thirteen intimate views of foliage, during the South Douglas County Festival of Arts, Saturday, October 15, 2011. This one day festival will be at Seven Feathers Casino Resort Convention Center in Canyonville, OR. Admission is free and the hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The festival features Douglas County's finest painters, jewelry designers, potters, artisans and live music.

Sandi is very excited about showing this body of work because she rarely gets to share her flora genre. Whetzel is also known for her popular wine images that have promoted the wine industry in Oregon. The popularity of her wine series preoccupies available booth space at most of her exhibition opportunities. In addition to the floras, Sandi will also display reproductions of her popular wine series and her classy wine inspired apparel for men and women.

Currently Whetzel's wine series is hanging at Liquid Assets Wine Bar, 96 North Main, in Ashland, Oregon through November 11th. First Friday Art Walks at that venue are from 5-7 pm, October 4 and November 7th. To see more of Sandi's art, click here.

A WINE ODYSSEY: The Wine Painting that Started an Artistic Wine Adventure

2011-09-08T13:25:00.000-07:00

My wine odyssey emerged from my love of curvaceous lines and shapes. Early in my art career I was strongly attracted to curvilinear, graceful shapes and patterns in my sensuous flora subjects. After several years, I took a slight artistic detour when I entered a painting competition to promote the "Greatest of the Grape", a premiere wine event. They wanted a painting to illustrate the theme of "Wine on the Vine" and reflect the 'elegance of the evening'. To win, I knew I'd have to create a concept that said, "Wine on the Vine" better than any other.

This painting challenge was pivotal. I had limited experience inventing paintings from my imagination and I had not painted anything related to wine. I started thinking about all things wine--grapevines, vineyards, wine bottles, goblets toasting, grapes, cheese wedges, finely set tables, formally attired maitre d's, etc. However, I was looking for an exceptional concept.

I honed in on the curvaceous shapes of wine bottles; thinking I might paint some abstracted wine bottles nestled among grapevines. I sketched five robustly curved wine bottles in a group of three and two others hanging from grapevine stems. The graceful bottles were placed at slightly different angles; gently swaying in the wind. More ideas for the concept presented themselves as I continued the sketch. When I was satisfied with the arrangement of the wine bottles, it suddenly occurred to me that I could add a big cluster of grapes growing inside each bottle; each cluster of a different hue.

I gathered fallen, dried grape leaves to observe their wind-twisted shapes and vein patterns. I sketched many leaves before determining their arrangement in the painting. To reflect 'the elegance of the evening' , I was inspired to place a golden moon rendered in a pearly pigment with upraised texture in just the right spot above the grapevines. I chose to paint the glow of the moon radiating out in circular brush strokes of a blue evening sky. As I gathered dried grapevine tendrils for observation, I was fascinated with their twisting, winding structure. I strategically placed a few tendrils in the painting.

The ideas for the painting continued to flow as I got deeper into details of the painting. I added glistening highlights, colored reflections and shadows to the grapes, bottles and leaves to show the sparkle of moonlight and reveal form and transparency. The wind-blown grape leaves and the climbing tendrils, the angled placement of the bottles, all following the radiating pattern of the moonlit sky, created an elegant, rhythmic movement that was appealing to many viewers.

The painting was a success because it came entirely from my imagination. I devoted much thought to every element of the design to express "Wine on the Vine" as well as it could be stated. This experience of creating something from my imagination to illustrate a predetermined theme was very rewarding. It will always remind me of what can be when you trust your imagination to lead you in your creative endeavors.

The response to this first wine painting was so great that I was inspired to enter other competitions to promote wine and other events. Each competition resulted in paintings of subject matter that I might never have tackled without these challenges. The wine paintings were selling more than my other graceful subjects. Wineries and wine enthusiasts were popping up all over the Umpqua Valley in Oregon where I reside. Between wine events, I started dreaming up other ideas for wine paintings to fit my own wine themes of whimsy, or elegant celebration, or romantic fantasy. My wine odyssey continues. For a slideshow of my wine series, click here

With each painting my goal is to outshine the previous one. I aim to impress and connect with wine enthusiasts emotionally. It's almost as if I am creating commercials for the wine industry. In my wine frame-of-mind, I ask myself, what feelings are associated with wine and how can I convey those feelings in ways that are exceptional? If I can add a romantic hook, all the better. My passion for curvy shapes easily creeps into graceful wine goblets and wine bottles and the things I associate with them. Bold, stimulating, eye-catching color and novel subject matter, fluid lines, movement and rhythm are all part of the design to draw the viewer into the wine odyssey experience.

My wine series will be exhibited at the Umpqua Valley Wine, Art and Music Festival, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 10 & 11, 2011 on the Umpqua Community College Campus, Roseburg, Oregon, exit 129 off I-5. My booth is located across from the food court and at the rear of the entertainment seating. Festival hours are Sat., from 11-9:30 pm and Sun., from 11-5:00 pm. For a schedule of events, click here