VOILA!!!

First, a coupla "pre" pics for your amusement... (and to drive you nutz)






And now - **drum roll** - The FINAL PRODUCT! I'm incredibly pleased. I don't give myself enough credit sometimes (don't roll your eyes!!). I've never painted to this scale before, nor on a non-flat surface. Go Me!

On My Way...

Slowly but surely....

My Link's All in Place!

So throughout the auction, here will be the direct link to my barrel and the BIDDING WARS taking place (ha! - i can be optimistic, no?).

(<-- I find it interesting to learn the parts of a wine barrel, especially the hole in the side. Hmm...)

That's the Size?

Ron, Thom and I took a drive out to Wagner Vineyards, the winery i've been paired with, to pick up my barrel. It was a gorgeous day which made for an awesome drive up the east side of Seneca Lake. Wagner is only 36 miles from home, i was interested to learn.

I got to pick from about 6 barrels. Turns out the one in front was perfect (they were all nice, really). I'm glad we took Sam's carseat out before we went up, because the barrel fit perfectly in the car with the seat folded down. The gentleman that helped us was surprised to learn, i think, that there was a quiet baby in the car, as he hadn't noticed Thom initially when he hunkered in to help pull the barrel in. Thom just smiled, snug as a bug.

For some reason, i had it in my head that a wine barrel was much bigger than it turns out to be. Sure, there are different sizes, but your "standard" wine barrel isn't much higher than 3 feet or so and 2 feet wide, if that (haven't taken the measurements yet). So i'm PLEASED to find that I'm comfortable with the 'canvas' i've been presented with. I don't usually work 'large scale' but this is very doable and i'm excited to dive in.

Sam's toys quickly found their way to hanging out on top of the new addition to our porch.

They Like Me! They Really Like Me!

I got picked to paint a wine barrel!!!
Here are the details from the website:

Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association proudly announces Painted Barrels 2009, an exhibit celebrating the Finger Lakes, on display July 3 - October 11, 2009.

This regional art exhibit will take place throughout the Finger Lakes, and feature painted barrels on display at over 50 wineries and area attractions. All of the barrels will be painted by Finger Lakes artists and showcase the beauty of the Finger Lakes.

Visitors to the Finger Lakes during the exhibit will be able tour the region and stop at the wineries and attractions featuring the painted barrels. There is no cost to view the barrels on display at each venue during regular operating hours.

Each painted barrel is available for purchase through a silent auction on this website. Minimum bids start at $100 per barrel and the auction begin on July 3, 2009 at 10:00 AM EST and ends on October 11, 2009 at 5:00 PM EST. The proceeds of each barrel are equally divided between the artist and Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Assocation, a 501 (c)(6) corporation whose mission is to promote tourism in the region.

Sounds like fun, no? Oh boy, here we go!! I'll be updating the blog regularly with "Work in Progress" pics and stories. This should be a lot of fun!

Okay - so - you are DYING to know my idea, aren't you? Well, sketches forthcoming, but for now: Picture a Modern Day Bacchus, a fat jolly dude, sunburnt, freckly and chillin with some wine, his iPod and his Blackberry. I'll leave it at that.

[Glad i found something to jump start this site, right? S'been a ghost town lately. Tsk tsk on me.]