Art in wine

Elm City man sees "beauty, happiness and humor in this world"

New Haven resident Martin Wickstrom of Benjamin Bay Graphic Design has won the “Where in the World Does Your Wine come from?” Best in Show for the National Poster Challenge, according to The Center for Wine Origins, Schilling Studio Gallery and the Telluride Wine Festival.
"The contest sought to discover artists and designers who could create an educated and aesthetically pleasing poster design reflecting the promotion and protection wine regions across the world," the groups said in a statement.
Wickstrom’s piece will be displayed in the Schilling Gallery at the Telluride Wine Festival from June 25-27, along with five other finalist’s posters, the statement said.

"Wickstrom’s piece, “A Toast for Port and Champagne,” beautifully shows the uniqueness of the Port and Champagne wine regions," the statement said.

“I create images to express the beauty, happiness and humor in this world. That is the artistic end goal, but actually the road to get there - playing with compositions, colors and textures - is often the most fulfilling part for me,” Wickstrom said in the statement.
“In most of my work I use a silhouette based expression, almost as if the figures were cut in paper and laid on a flat surface. After that, I add texture and spend a lot of time working with colors and composition. In this particular image my initial vision consisted of the two curved arms holding glasses. From there I proceeded to create a piece that would integrate the different wine regions of Port and Champagne in a pleasing, fun and decorative style. I wanted to inspire the viewer to a toast," he said in the statement.

The Center for Wine Origins was founded to help Americans remember that location matters when it comes to wine, the statement. This "competition asked artists to promote the recognition of Champagne or Port wines, or a recognized wine region from across the world," the statement said.

Visit the Center for Wine Origins to learn more about the Center and view all of the finalists’ works.

The Center for Wine Origins was established in 2005 to promote the importance of location and better protect geographic names in the U.S. market, the statement said.
The Center is headquartered in Washington, D.C.