Hallelujah

“Springtime in wine country is glorious!” – Eric Christensen

Lake Tahoe, North America’s third deepest lake, is a convergent zone of diversity. It is not unusual to witness nature lovers and outdoor sports enthusiasts engaged in animated conversation with photographers and entrepreneurs. Marcus Ashley Gallery is one of their melting pots, and its enviable Eric Christensen art collection is one of its attractions. He is the only known artist capable of hyper-realism using standard transparent watercolor.

Not all still life paintings are created equal, and Hallelujah is one piece that clearly demonstrates how Christensen is a cut above the rest. The astonishing rendition of every minute aspect of each element makes this portrait larger than life. But the artist’s unrivaled trademark is his ability to capture light as reflected on the glass and silver exteriors or as refracted on various solid surfaces.

This setting is well composed, with contrasting and complementing colors as well as a balanced placement of objects. Even the title was not left to chance. Hallelujah is a play of words, spinning off from Hall, the wine’s name, and landing on praise for this slice of paradise where romance is always in season.