Wine Country’s Outdoor Art Gallery

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

― Thomas Merton, No Man Is an Island

Wine Country's Natural Outdoor Art Galleries

by Rebekah Stoltz Weeman

Northern California’s wine country is small in comparison to the rest of the world and represents a special niche. Just 58 miles north of San Francisco, it is well-known that the counties of Napa and Sonoma boast world-class wine, gastronomical dining and luxury accommodations. A more recent wine country development, is a vast array of large-scale art. Many visitors and locals are often surprised at the way art in the vineyards is an expression of our communities and what we have experienced. In this ever-changing climate, art connects us to what we love, our challenges and the true lifestyle that we live.  Now is the perfect time to step outside and be inspired by the beautiful local landscape. Through the art, we can dive in deeper to the identity of our people and the soul of our land. 

Not always meant to be taken too seriously, art can be an expression of humor, politics, love or many other emotions. Art provides space to pause and ponder or perhaps engage in a conversation with another. 

What better setting is there for outdoor art than the grounds of a vineyard estate? In wine country there are many places to observe art in its outdoor form. While there are many wineries that feature outdoor art installations, here are a few that are both popular with locals and that top our list.

Donum-Tasting-Room-2

Donum Estate

Donum Estate is an absolute artistic gem. The small production boutique wines are complex, yet easy on the palate. With a glass in hand, you can tour through the expansive sculpture gardens by foot or fancy four-wheeled vehicle. Avid art collectors and owners, Mei and Allen Warburg, share a passion for wine and art. As a result, they have travelled the world extensively and spared no expense to bring significant pieces to the Donum Estate. 

Founded in 2011, the Donum Estate spans over 200 acres and is located in the acclaimed wine region Carneros nestled between Napa and Sonoma Counties and is known for some of the finest Burgundian Pino Noir made in California. Donum includes a state-of-the-art winemaking facility, an organic farm, contemporary hospitality experience and one of the largest accessible private sculpture collections in the world. Since 2015, Donum has been placing large-scale contemporary sculptures in the midst of its vineyard landscape, interspersed with 150-year-old olive trees. More than 40 monumental works, including open-air sculptures represent The Donum Collection. Dotted throughout the Estate, each piece plays with scale, nature, and imagination. This evolving collection brings together a global community of artists, including works by leading talent from 18 nations, across six continents including Ai Weiwei, Ghada Amer, Doug Aitken, Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Keith Haring and Subodh Gupta. 

A Danish businessman based in Hong Kong and China, Alan Warburg is a passionate collector of art and wine who believes that both can help connect people across cultures. “The sculpture collection is very personal, representing what my wife and I believe fits the landscape and feeling of Donum,” says Warburg. “If you take art, put it into a beautiful landscape and at the same time enjoy it with a glass of great wine, the experience is much larger than if the three are enjoyed separately. The whole is more than the sum of its parts.”  
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HALL in St. Helena

HALL in St. Helena is located directly on Highway 29, one of the main corridors of the Napa Valley. Easy to access and well worth the drive “upvalley,” one should make a point to visit the storied and much-loved winery. Noticeable from the road, is the giant Bunny Foo-Foo by Lawrence Argent, which welcomes visitors into the estate with wit and wine country charm. Depending on the season, Bunny Foo-Foo might be adorned with appropriate attire. Be sure to take a moment to pause and snap a photo with her, as she is one of the most photographed outdoor sculptures in the Napa Valley.

Beyond Bunny Foo-Foo, there is a range of art at HALL. The entire collection, curated by Virginia Shore of Shore Art Advisory, is inspiring as well as impressive. Here works by artists such as John Baldessari, Jim Campbell, Nick Cave, Jaume Plensa, François-Xavier Lalanne and Avish Khebrehzadeh fill the spaces and walls. Avid lifelong art collectors and winery owners, Craig and Kathryn Hall have infused the winetasting scene by integrating their personal art collection with their outstanding wines. Reflecting the perfect balance of vineyard, wine and art, these three elements complement each other and elevate the human experience. A visit to HALL provides inspiration and a renewed element of joy for life.
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Paradise Ridge Winery

One representation in Sonoma county for art is a stop  at  Paradise Ridge Winery near Santa Rosa. The heart behind the vast rustic art collection at the sprawling 155 acre estate is especially touching. A second-generation family winery, co-owner Rene Byck is carrying on the family tradition and bringing new works to the sculpture gardens continuously. Story has it that René’s father, Walter, proposed to his mother, Marijke, in a sculpture garden. When the family moved to Santa Rosa in 1965, they knew they wanted to carry on their love of art by creating their own sculpture garden on their winery property so that they could provide an opportunity for everyone to experience art.  In the early days, Walter discovered a beautiful grove and knew he wanted to add a sculpture to the area. Over the years many exhibitions and installations moved through and when Marijke passed away in 2006, they named the grove Marijke’s Grove. 

When Walter met Judy Voigt of the Voigt Family Sculpture Foundation and the Healdsburg Art Walk, it was natural for them to partner and keep developing the sculpture gardens. Together they have been able to achieve deeper richness in the exhibitions and installations, as well as the permanent pieces at Paradise Ridge. When the LOVE sculpture from the famed Burning Man event/Black Rock Art Foundation landed at the winery things really began to evolve. The area where the LOVE sculpture sits is now called the ‘Love Meadow.’ As time went on, more pieces were added to the Love Meadow and today it is joyfully popular with visitors. When the devastating Tubbs Fires hit Sonoma in 2018, Paradise Ridge Winery burned to the ground. Incredibly, the LOVE sculpture survived. As the Byck Family began to rebuild the winery, the LOVE Sculpture became a symbol of resilience and rebirth. The Byck Family continually gives back to the community through non-profit support and art programs. In turn, the community at large has been inspired by the story and has offered its undying support of this special place.  

Holding true to the wishes of Marijke and Walter, the art on the property will always be free to all who wish to see it. For a nice mid-week break, make a reservation for Wines & Sunsets. Starting at five o’clock, this almost always sold out event ($15/person) boasts live music, food trucks, incredible views and an evening well spent.  Enjoying the art, the view, the music and, of course, the wine has placed Wine & Sunsets #1 on the Best of Sonoma List for numerous years.                                     ~Photography by Melania Mahoney
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