detail of Self-portrait as Saint Pompette, No.1

NEW WINE STAINS
AMELIA HARNAS
at Damiani Wine Cellars

May 11- June 21, 2012

Opening Reception: Friday, May 11 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Damiani Wine Cellars on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York is pleased to announce the opening of “New Wine Stains” by artist Amelia Harnas. Harnas, who creates imagery using wine as part of her batiking process, will show her work at the tasting room from May 11 until June 21. An artist’s reception will take place on Friday, May 11 from 5:30-7:30. The Damiani tasting room is located at 4704 Rt 414, in Burdett NY. Please call the winery for more information at 607-546-5557.

From Amelia:  
In my first solo show, I am thrilled to debut my new body of work involving portraits created from wine stains. Almost all of the new pieces were created this year using new equipment that has allowed me to achieve even greater control and detail. Some incorporate bronze powder in acrylic medium, painted on before the batiking process, yielding subtle reactions and color distortion of the wine stain. These are the largest wine stains that I have attempted to date.

The very newest of the batch exclusively use Damiani wine, specifically Vino Rosso, 20% Pinot Noir blended with the hybrids Rougeon, Vincent and Leon Millot (0.8% RS), and straight Rougeon, a hybrid loved for its intense and vibrant blood-red color. Three of the portraits are based on Phil Arras, one of Damiani’s winemakers. So, it is a great pleasure to reunite all of these components in one space.

Some of the wine stains are embroidered, continuing in the original style. The embroidery redefines the drawing and gives me an opportunity to play with ragged edges and loose threads. It is this alluring dance between control and chaos that compels me to make portraits with wine – that, and the fact that I can drink my medium while I paint with it without getting poisoned and with a very positive outcome instead.

Visit Amelia’s website

April 1-May 10, 2012

Opening Reception Friday, April 13 5:30-7:30

About the artists

Melissa Barousse Sarat
My large-scale allegorical paintings require months to years to complete. To refresh my palate between repasts of spicy imagery painting sessions, I make these small-scale painterly “sorbet” pieces that combine flowers from my perennial garden, objects from my antique collections and offerings from nature (click here for more).

A Louisiana native, I work in my Central New York studio and potter about in the garden conjuring painting images, talking to the birds and the spirits of my ancestors while witnessing nature’s resplendent dance. Local folk long ago declared me batty.

Ileen Kaplan
In my work I want to express everything about a moment in time: the light, the feeling, the sense of space, the inner life, the action, and the stillness. Every time I pick up a brush I feel the excitement and frustration of trying to express what I am feeling about a specific moment in its totality. Although this may be a nearly impossible goal, it is endlessly intriguing and lots of fun (click here for more).

Bridget Bossart van Otterloo
My paintings are about the beauty in nature. I believe that the beauty found in nature enriches our existence. Natural forms, elegant lines, bold colors, and the intrinsic details found in nature are the themes in my work. My most recent paintings explore the interaction between humans and the natural world. Nature is incredibly resilient as it continues to persevere in the face of man-made threats (click here for more).

Taverna Banfi EDU Event: Dinner with the Winemaker
April 10, 2012 at 6:30pm $60 per person Space is limited,
reservation required Call 607.254.2624

The Menu

Brie Stuffed Fig Prosciutto· Arugula· Pickled Berries· Toasted Brioche
2010 Damiani· Pinot Grigio

Seared Duck Breast Frisee· Fennel· Chilies· Melon Slaw· Honey Vinaigrette
2010 Damiani· Gewurztraminer

Parmesan Cavatelli Porcini Mushroom Ragu· Merlot Braised Lamb Shank
2009 Damiani· Merlot

Balsamic Glazed Rib Eye Smoked White Bean and Pancetta Purée Deep Roasted Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts
2006 Damiani· Barrel Select· Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Damiani· Barrel Select· Cabernet Sauvignon
2010 Damiani· Reserve Syrah

Vanilla Bean Budino Berry Salad· Zeppole· Local Honey
2010 Damiani· Bubbly Bollicini

Learn more about Taverna Banfi by clicking here

Click on the links below to RSVP now for the following classes

Saturday, April 21, 3-5
Cool Climate Pinot Noir led by Phil Arras $25.00

In this taster’s class we’ll compare cool climate pinot noir- our Finger Lakes favorites – with selections from other cool climate regions around the world. Come compare FLX pinot with wines from the Rhine in Germany (where pinot is labeled as Spatburgunder) and Alto Adige in Italy (where locals refer to the grape as Blauburgunder).
Tasting will include a pre-release of the 2010 Davis Vineyard Pinot Noir, with bottles available for purchase.

Saturday, May 19, 3-5
Farmer Fizz- Grower Champagnes led by Lou Damiani $30

If you’ve ever met winemaker Lou Damiani in the tasting room, chances are you’ve found him with a flute of sparkling wine in hand. We invite you to join him May 19 for a blind tasting of sparkling wines at the Exploring Wine Series: Farmer Fizz- Grower Champagne  taster’s class. Lou will introduces you to a few of his favorite farmer-made sparkling wines from the Champagne region of France, while sharing with you the process for making wines in the méthode champenoise style. These small, hand-crafted, estate-bottled wines will be different from the mass-produced “factory-made” Champagnes that flood the American market- less than 4% of all Champagne available in the US are true estate grown farmer-fizz. We’ll experience style, diversity, vitality, and celebratory times.
Tasting will include a pre-release of the Damiani 2009 Brut, a sparkling wine comprised of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir, with bottles available for purchase.

Saturday, June 16, 3-5
Dry Rieslings from World Class Regions $25.00

Do you like it dry? Crisp, austere, lean, taut, complex. Trocken. Dry Rieslings are, by some accounts, what the Finger Lakes does best. Come explore our stony terroir as we line up several Finger Lakes Dry Rieslings with a few of the more classic regions around the world for a blind, side-by-side tasting of our region’s signature grape.
Will be pouring the 2011 Damiani Dry Riesling.

Binghamton Mayor Matthew T. Ryan will be hosting a press reception for Heinz Award Recipient Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D.  The reception is sponsored by Damiani Wine Cellars and Brewery Ommegang.

Mayors Reception for Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., Saturday, March 10, Forum Theatre, Binghamton NY, 236 Washington Street 13901. Reception will begin at 6:00 p.m. until showtime at 7:00 p.m. Press and reception guests will be admitted starting at 5:30 p.m.

Often described as “the Rachel Carson of our times,” or alternatively “A Poet with a Knife,” Dr. Steingraber will speak after the Horse Flies opening set at the Concert.

Her Heinz award came with a $100,000 unrestricted cash prize and she is donating it to the fight against hydrofracking.

She won the award for highlighting the link between toxic chemicals and diseases through her written work, as well as engaging the public as a cancer survivor.

Dr. Steingraber was diagnosed with bladder cancer at 20, after growing up in an area polluted by industrial toxins. Her book, Living Downstream, was made into a full-length documentary in 2010. Her latest book is Raising Elijah: Protecting Our Children in an Age of Environmental Crisis.

Sandra at the Southern Tier CleanWaters Symposium, June 2011

In Washington, D.C., during her acceptance speech, when she announced her intent to devote her award to the fight against hydrofracking, the room broke out into spontaneous applause and cheers.

“Fracking is wrong. Sooner or later, steel and concrete disintegrates. Sooner or later, gas wells open portals of contamination between drinking water aquifers and the toxic materials held in the bedrock below. Doing fracking ‘right’ simply means building time bombs with longer fuses. There are no places in New York and no children in New York that we are willing to sacrifice.” –Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., Biologist.

Proceeds from the Natalie Merchant Benefit Concert will go to future event based education and awareness, including this summer’s second annual Big Splash Concert Series.

Photos, biography, video at www.steingraber.com.

Concert info at www.FingerLakesCleanWaters.org
Tickets available at www.ticketmaster.com.
Finger Lakes CleanWaters Initiative, info@fingerlakescleanwaters.org.
Find us on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Finger-Lakes-Clean-Waters-Initiative/207165332642028
Sponsors at www.damianiwinecellars.com, www.ommegang.com

Click here to purchase tickets

Menu

BOLLICINI- 2010

Two Passed Crostini: Aged French muenster with brandy braised golden raisins.

Pear, fennel and warm Lively Run chevre.

GEWURZTRAMINER- 2010

Pan seared mustard crusted haddock with lemon caper beurre blanc over braised spicy greens.

LEMBERGER- 2010

Chevre and mushroom tart with Stonecat’s bacon and a black currant port reduction.

SYRAH- 2010 RESERVE

Cardamom and honey cured pork loin (local. hormone and antinbiotic free) with raspberry beurre blanc and local organic root vegetable latke

CELLAR SECRET- UNCORKED 03/24/12

Opera – composed by Christian Thiron. A layered pastry of Belgian chocolate ganache, delicate cake and espresso butter cream with salted caramel sauce.

PRICE: $85 All Inclusive. PLEASE SPECIFY VEGETARIAN

Magnolia Place Bed & Breakfast 5240 Rt. 414 Hector, NY

“The art of Emily Gibbons invokes the beauty of human and natural forms with suggestive brush strokes and lively colors.  Gibbons often conveys landscape through plein air techniques; a technique that is echoed in all of her paintings as she captures the moment but still connects the viewer to the whole of the experience.”

Learn more about Emily’s work here.