DUNDEE, Ore. – September 3, 2019 – On September 14th, Argyle Winery and the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) will celebrate the unveiling of the 2019 Art of Sparkling artwork at a special complimentary event at the Argyle Tasting House. Created by Argyle Winery to support the talents of student artists, the Art of Sparkling program is a unique collaboration with PNCA. Each year, three PNCA student artists are selected to receive the Argyle scholarship. 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. The original labels created by this year’s winning artists—Haley Howell, Olivia Harwood and Lydia Mercer—will be unveiled at the Argyle Tasting House, and online, on Saturday, September 14th with a presentation that begins at 2 p.m. The 2019 Art of Sparkling 3-bottle set, featuring the 2016 Argyle Vintage Brut, will be available for purchase.
“Over the past four years, it has been incredibly exciting to see the response from young artists to our Art of Sparkling program,” said Argyle Sales and Marketing Director Rob Alstrin. “Supporting our arts community, and nurturing the next generation of artists, is something that we believe in deeply at Argyle. The Art of Sparking provides these up-and-coming artists with a unique and highly visible opportunity to create stunning original works of art. Our label reveal event is always one of our highlights of the year.”
While the new labels will not be unveiled until the September 14th event, the artists describe their works as follows:
Haley Howell – Entitled “from here, upwards,” and created using intaglio hardground etching techniques, Howell’s label explores the enigmatic relationship between humans and nature during the winegrowing process.
Olivia Harwood – Incorporating saturated colors and an array of industrial, natural and atmospheric patterns, Harwood’s surreal label represents growth within the soil, as part of the wider world of winemaking.
Lydia Mercer – Influenced by the architecture of the Argyle Tasting House, Mercer’s label utilizes negative space, design hierarchies and a combination of digital and cyanotype processes to explore the nature of creation in winemaking.
NB: Press release updated with photo
“PNCA is thrilled to once again partner with Argyle Winery,” said Chris Maples, interim president of the Pacific Northwest College of Art. “Argyle provides generous and much-appreciated scholarships for students, and gives them a unique opportunity to apply their talents and gain real-world experience working alongside a team of professionals. The ‘Art of Sparkling’ is a true collaboration that highlights both the fine wine-making of Argyle and our student artists and designers.”
The September 14th Art of Sparkling Release is open to the public, and reservations are not required, but appreciated. Like all of Argyle’s sparkling wines, the 2016 Vintage Brut was made using the traditional French Champagne method, and aged for three or more years. In addition to offering the three-bottle 2019 Art of Sparkling collection, to celebrate the fourth year of the program, a limited number of 12-bottle sets featuring all of the original labels created over the past four vintages will be available for sale.
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, Ore., offers ten 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. Dr. Don Tuski serves as the school’s president.
