Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and vine, was the strangest of the Olympian gods. The only Greek god born of a mortal, he wandered through the ancient world like vines wander in the wild — unhurried and yet unstoppable. The Greeks saw Dionysus not on Olympus, but in the vineyard itself — not as a distant deity to be petitioned, but as a living presence in the vines, the leaves, and the clusters of grapes. It was believed that wherever Dionysus wandered, the soil became rich and dark, producing abundant harvests. Grapevines were even said to erupt from wooden structures and ship's masts were he onboard. The ancient vineyards of Greece were nothing like the ordered rows we know today. The vines went where they wanted. They were wild, tangled things — climbing high on walls, spilling down hillsides, threading through olive groves. Tending an ancient vineyard was more negotiation than cultivation. This piece was made by first laying down a bed of crushed glass for texture. The vines are laboriously handmade with twisted wire. The large grape clusters are made with stone beads. The smaller grapes and all of the various leaves were hunted down over the course of many weeks from a variety of sources. The gold is hand painted and finished with an antiquing medium before finishing with a satin clear coat.
Before placing an order, please contact me to confirm availability. Some pieces may be on exhibit at a gallery and already reserved. I'm happy to answer any questions about the work and arrange shipping or local delivery. Just drop me a note on the Contact page or email me directly at rick.schettino@gmail.com.
Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and vine, was the strangest of the Olympian gods. The only Greek god born of a mortal, he wandered through the ancient world like vines wander in the wild — unhurried and yet unstoppable. The Greeks saw Dionysus not on Olympus, but in the vineyard itself — not as a distant deity to be petitioned, but as a living presence in the vines, the leaves, and the clusters of grapes. It was believed that wherever Dionysus wandered, the soil became rich and dark, producing abundant harvests. Grapevines were even said to erupt from wooden structures and ship's masts were he onboard. The ancient vineyards of Greece were nothing like the ordered rows we know today. The vines went where they wanted. They were wild, tangled things — climbing high on walls, spilling down hillsides, threading through olive groves. Tending an ancient vineyard was more negotiation than cultivation. This piece was made by first laying down a bed of crushed glass for texture. The vines are laboriously handmade with twisted wire. The large grape clusters are made with stone beads. The smaller grapes and all of the various leaves were hunted down over the course of many weeks from a variety of sources. The gold is hand painted and finished with an antiquing medium before finishing with a satin clear coat.
Before placing an order, please contact me to confirm availability. Some pieces may be on exhibit at a gallery and already reserved. I'm happy to answer any questions about the work and arrange shipping or local delivery. Just drop me a note on the Contact page or email me directly at rick.schettino@gmail.com.
