I create portraits by staining fabric with red wine using a wax resist (much like batiks) to build a light/dark pattern. I may decide to add embroidery (split stitch, to be precise) or machine sewing to reinforce the design or composition. The end result is a blend of chaos and control. (Rest assured: I drink the wine while I paint with it.)

A portrait artist at heart, I am particularly intrigued by the challenge of trying to control the unpredictable nature of wine bleeding through fabric in order to channel the equally imprecise nature of a person’s character. In addition, the sacred aspect of wine lends itself to religious iconography: one who drinks wine may come to feel a certain level of saintliness sipping on this liquid form of divinity. Consider this is a form of reverent consecration.    

When I started making wine stain portraits, my equipment was rather crude. I was melting dead candle remnants in a coffee can over a propane grill, painting the wax resist with a beat-up bristle brush, and using cotton bed sheets previously employed to protect tomato plants from frost. I have since upgraded my process a bit.

The first stains were made with a bottle of French Cahors, but subsequent stains feature Finger Lakes reds, like Damiani’s Vino Rosso, chosen for deep color, tannins, and low residual sugar.    

These works are fragile, so they entail a higher level of care than works in more traditional media. They require certain climate conditions, much like a good bottle of wine should be stored in a wine cellar.