For the first time, La Borgata Winery & Distillery (“La Borgata”) will be offering an all-day, en plein air (outdoor), landscape painting class on the winery’s 40 acres of country property located in Pleasants Valley in Vacaville on Saturday, May 19.
Two Napa artists will instruct students in both a classroom setting as well as in an outdoor setting throughout the day. The day starts with instruction and it ends with an “art & wine reception” where students bring their paintings to the front lawn to mix and mingle with other students and the instructors. The mixer will give the art students a chance to admire fellow students’ paintings while they sip on La Borgata wine and nibble on Italian meats and cheeses from the family’s Italian deli, La Borgata Italian Deli, located on Main Street in historic downtown Vacaville.
“Art and wine go together, and for good reason. I am beyond excited to host our first ever plein air painting class here at the winery,” says Gerardo Iuliano, winemaker & CEO of La Borgata. “When my father and I built the winery in 2000, we dreamed of a day that we could create an environment that felt like being in Italy right here in Northern California. I think we succeeded and I couldn’t be more proud.”
Gerry’s father, Donato, passed away last May, but you can see his influence in everything of beauty on the property, especially in the numerous fruit trees which were his father’s favorites.
Other trees on the property include olive trees, lemon trees (for their signature La Borgata Limoncello), almond trees, walnut trees, Deodoro Pine, Chinese Pistashe, sycamore, mulberry, apricot, oak and avocado.
“La Borgata” is Italian and it means, “a small, rural town based on agriculture.” One exit off Interstate 80, in-between San Francisco and Sacramento, right in the beautiful heart of Solano County, painters of all levels will enjoy the day of light instruction and all-day painting outside. The winery itself is in a small valley teaming with wildlife and an impressive variety of trees. There is also a small pond on the property that attracts Mallard Ducks and Canada Geese. The deer, wild turkey, wild peacock and other critters make you feel like you’re miles from civilization.
About the Instructors
Kristina Young is a dual US-Canadian citizen and artist living in Napa. She studied painting, illustration, book arts, graphic design and art history at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver), California College of the Arts (San Francisco) and received her BFA in painting from Richmond College in London, UK.
Since 2000, she has worked as a community arts advocate and consultant for Arts Council Napa Valley, the City of Napa Art Walk Program as well as arts educator.
She is currently the lead artist and manager of the Napa Quake Mosaic, a public art installation commemorating the 2014 Napa Earthquake. She also serves as chair of the Public Art Steering Committee for the City of Napa, Napa County Arts & Culture Advisory Committee Member and founding member of Napa’s new Rail Arts District (RAD Napa).
David Brian Lewis is an American artist living in Vacaville. He studied art, design and metal working for jewelry at Arizona State University where he received his BA degree in Studio Art. After moving to Napa in 1998, David became involved in the arts community working as the assistant to the curator at the American Center for Wine, Food, and the Arts (Copia) and the Arts Council of Napa Valley. While in Napa, David continued to expand his art repertoire to include ceramics and painting.
La Borgata Winery & Distillery is a private, family-owned Italian winery, distillery, and private event venue located in Pleasants Valley in Vacaville, CA. The property is 40 acres in beautiful Pleasants Valley in Solano County. which includes a Sangiovese (“Chianti-style” Italian wine) vineyard, a large, Tuscan-style building where the family has hosted private weddings and dinners, and it is also where the family lives. They bottle wine on the facility, and make and bottle their distilled spirits on the property as well.
Tickets are available on Eventbrite.com and are $135 per person.
For more information about Plein Air Painting Class at La Borgata Winery, visit https://
laborgatawinery.com/plein-air-
