Artists
What do we mean by "Our Artists"
When we started working on labels for our wines, we had a thought: Our winemaking approach is to let each year’s wine to be itself, so why not let the labels change with each year, and reflect that vintage? Over the years we’d collected some amazing original art that featured swallows in flight, so we approached the artists, who graciously gave us permission to use their work on our labels.
We’re thrilled to present the artists who created the art on our labels.
Ernst Kruijff
Our 2014 and 2015 labels feature the work of Ernest Kruijeff. We felt the cold years and modest harvests in 2014 and 2015 were mirrored in the minimalist lines and colours of his “Swallow".
Ernest is a Dutch artist creating contemporary art. His current approach is to blend the usage of acrylic paint with paint markers to contrast the fluidity and vibrancy of painting with the clarity of drawing, often enhancing the structure and dynamicity of compositions. Thereby he not only takes up inspiration of Bauhaus artists, but also from modern structures (Japanese and suprematism architecture), and patterns and pictorial elements of both old (Japanese blockprints) and modern illustrative art and design (especially Nordic).
Jill Griffin
Our 2016 labels feature the work of Jill Griffin. We felt the true promise of our vineyard that emerged in 2016 was captured in the dawn hues and joyful lines of Jill Griffin’s “Flying High”.
Jill is an artist living and working in South Devon of England. Jill has been painting and drawing for as long as she has been able to make marks, working primarily in watercolour. She loves its unpredictable nature, the translucent quality of this medium, and often uses pen to capture the essence of a character. She has a dynamic and contemporary style not normally associated with watercolour and is inspired by the natural world: from the changing seasons to curious farmyard faces.
Frederic Belaubre
Our 2017 labels feature the work of Frederic Belaubre. We felt the mix of chaos and balance in his “Swallows” evokes the evolution of the vineyard in 2017.
Frederic is an artist from Paris (France). He describes his approach as “Painting as an act of understanding, as a search for fulfillment. Emotions and anxieties, as well as pleasures, the sense of finiteness as well as the enjoyment of moments of eternity when the stream of life flows smoothly, these are the real sources from which I draw to create; constantly renewed attempts of transfiguration of reality into one beyond the light.”
Ann Ducharme
Our 2019 labels feature the art of Ann Ducharme. Her stained glass 'Swallows" reflect the challenges of 2019, and the rebuilding that followed.
Ann lives in Harrow, Ontario. She is a wife, mother and grandmother and an artist. She has painted for as long as she can remember. Over the years she has explored various mediums, styles and techniques. Acrylics are her preferred medium. Ann also creates works in impressionisms, dot art and stained glass style. Dancing Swallow is an acrylic painting in a stained glass style.
Talysha Bujold-Abu
The first piece of art we bought was a custom work from Talysha Bujold-Abu. Her miniature “Ideal Day” includes our main barn, and captures the feeling of a picnic, a stroll down the lane and a glass of wine on a lazy summers day.
Talysha is a Master of Fine Arts graduate of the University of Windsor School of Creative Arts. She is the artist behind the EPIC 1867 series of local wine labels, and we are discussing adding a sales gallery for her art.
Gwen McCloskey
Our last piece of art is not a label, it’s our barn quilt. Currently on the side of the old granary building, it’s 8 feet square and a variation on the classic “Flying Swallows” quilt block. We added the horizon and sunset to evoke the amazing sunsets we get here at Dancing Swallows. Painstakingly painted by 5th generation family member Gwen McCloskey, we liked it so much we chose it as the logo for the winery.