Salute to Summer

“I love to capture the romance of the wine country, which is so much more than just the wine.” – Eric Christensen

Eric Christensen began his professional painting career 20 years ago in Napa Valley. Shortly after, Marcus Ashley Fine Art Gallery opened at South Lake Tahoe. Both have come a long way since their paths converged in what today is the largest collection of Eric Christensen art found in a single place. The gallery is one of the foremost of its kind in the district, while the artist is the only known hyper-realism painter capable of rendering the style using standard transparent watercolor. A perfect match indeed.

Christensen successfully executes larger-than-life images through a deep understanding of his subject’s technical features. His expertise lies in capturing the subtleties of light and reflection. In Salute to Summer, he demonstrates this skill on the cherries, strawberries, cherry leaves, and brie cheese dappled with warm sunshine. The Bordeaux bottle, wine glasses, and silverware glint from the sun rays that fall on them from just the appropriate angles.

Immaculate composition is also a Christensen trademark. As one carefully studies this piece, the perfect balance and placement of objects gradually become evident. For the artist, these elements represent a real-life scene in the vineyards. And he unequivocally succeeds.