For both Nat and Anne Komes, art – in its many forms and varieties – plays a central role in their busy lives. “Just as you must have wine on your table, you must have art in your life,” says Anne. “It gives you more perspective and depth, it makes life more beautiful.”
The Komeses both have artistic backgrounds: Nat was an English Literature major in college and once published a book of poetry. Anne, a native of France, is the daughter of a painter and a music agent who represented Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz. She herself is a sculptor who works in clay. The couple often go to museums and galleries with their two children and enjoy collecting artistic works during their travels. They recently brought home a piece from a local artist exhibiting at the Brinton Museum near Big Horn, Wyoming where they were vacationing with their family. “It’s wonderful to have a reminder of the places we’ve been, and Nat and I love to support local talent,” says Anne.
Nat & Anne Komes
At Flora Springs, Nat flexes his creative muscle by working with an array of artists on special wine labels, including those he develops for his annual Halloween-themed wines. He finds inspiration all around him – from album cover art and children’s books to the skateboarding culture that has fascinated him since he was a teen. “There’s art everywhere once you look for it,” says Nat, whose recent project, Wine Love Stories, (a 2012 Red Blend) features a label straight out of the romance comics genre of the 1940s and 50s.
The wine is one of the featured offerings during Arts in April at The Room in St. Helena, a month-long celebration of the arts with a special installation by Napa-based artist John Bonick. “Each year in conjunction with Arts in April we commission an artist or artists to create original artwork for display on the exterior and interior of The Room,” says Nat. “It’s is our way of bringing wine and art together, celebrating the roles they each play in enhancing the quality of our lives.”
Note: The article excerpted below was originally published in the Napa Valley Register and can be found here.
Arts in April reception with John Bonick at Flora Springs Winery April 12
Flora Springs will hold an artist reception with John Bonick, from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 12, at The Room in St. Helena.
For this year’s Arts in April installation, Bonick has created “Flora’s Garden” – a series of 8 feet by 3 feet tulips of dibond aluminum adorning the exterior façade of The Room in St. Helena.
He has also created a 10-feet tall wine bottle made entirely of grapevine cuttings from Flora Springs’ estate, a signature piece that Bonick originally developed for BottleRock Napa Valley. Several of his paintings, which have been featured in San Francisco’s Andrea Schwartz Gallery and shown in museums in the Bay Area and beyond, will also be on display.
Flora Springs’ “Arts in April Artful Wine Flight,” featuring the 2017 Dashaway Chardonnay, the just-released 2012 Wine Love Stories Napa Valley Red Blend, and 2016 Ghost Winery Malbec, will be served, along with light appetizers.
Mix and mingle with John and other local artists, community members, and the Flora Springs team while taking in the new art installation. Experience our Arts in April Artful Wine Flight – featuring 2017 Dashaway Chardonnay, our just-released 2012 Wine Love Stories Napa Valley Red Blend, and 2016 Ghost Winery Malbec, along with light appetizers.
For this year’s Arts in April installation, John has created “Flora’s Garden” – a series of eye-popping 8-ft x 3-ft tulips of dibond aluminum adorning the exterior façade of The Room in St. Helena. He has also created a 10-ft wine bottle made entirely of grapevine cuttings from Flora Springs’ estate, a signature piece that John originally developed for BottleRock Napa Valley. Several of John’s paintings, which have been featured in San Francisco’s Andrea Schwartz Gallery and shown in museums in the Bay Area and beyond, will also be on display.
About Arts in April
Each year Flora Springs participates in Arts in April, a month-long, Napa Valley-wide celebration of the arts which promotes local talent and brings the community together through live music, art exhibits, theatre performances, arts advocacy and more. This year we’re partnering with artist and longtime Napa resident John Bonick, who takes inspiration from the agricultural community in which he lives. Many of John’s paintings and abstract works are centered on the idea of connectivity through ribbons of color and light, with imagery that is evocative of stems, branches, arteries, veins, fiber optics and other “channel-like” phenomena.
Can’t attend the Artist Reception on April 12? Drop in to The Room to view John’s art installation and enjoy a wine tasting of our artful labels series at our tasting room in St. Helena anytime April 1 – April 30. The Room is open daily, 10 am – 5 pm, and is located at 677 St. Helena Highway/Hwy 29, next to Dean & DeLuca. Reservations only required for groups of six or more guests.
John Bonick’s working sketch for his Arts in April installation at The Room – ultimately 8-ft x 3-ft tulips of dibond aluminum to be placed on the building
Over the years, we’ve become known for beautiful and dramatic seasonal art installations on the façade of our tasting room in St. Helena.
This spring, we’ve partnered with artist and longtime Napa resident John Bonick, who takes inspiration from the agricultural community in which he lives. Many of John’s paintings and abstract works are centered on the idea of connectivity through ribbons of color and light, with imagery that is evocative of stems, branches, arteries, veins, fiber optics and other “channel-like” phenomena.
For this installation, John has created “Flora’s Garden” – a series of eye-popping 8-ft x 3-ft tulips of dibond aluminum. He has also created a 10-ft wine bottle made entirely of grapevine cuttings from Flora Springs’ estate, a signature piece that John originally developed for BottleRock Napa Valley. Several of John’s paintings, which have been featured in San Francisco’s Andrea Schwartz Gallery and shown in museums in the Bay Area and beyond, will also be on display at The Room.
Plan your visit to view John’s art installation and enjoy our Artful Wine Flight at our tasting room in St. Helena anytime through May 31. The Room is open daily, 10 am – 5 pm, and is located at 677 St. Helena Highway/Hwy 29, next to Dean & DeLuca.
Flora Springs Celebrates the Contemporary Artist at Work
The Room celebrates contemporary art with demonstrations, installations and performances that showcase the creative genius of artists at work. Throughout the month, visitors will enjoy artwork from metal artists Taped Metal Canvas and Snapped With Love Photography, and on featured dates we’ll invite visual artists working in a variety of mediums – spray paint, chalk, metal, paint – for live demonstrations of their artistic process. These intimate, behind-the-scenes experiences will be accompanied by live music and a spectacular selection of Flora Springs and Jon Nathaniel Wines featuring popular artistic labels.
Artful wine flights:
Saturday, April 14: Dashaway Chardonnay Ghost Winery Malbec Skull Ring Red Blend Trilogy Red Wine
Saturday, April 21: Honest Bucker White Wine Skull Ring Red Blend Pumpkin Owl Halloween Red Blend (Magnum) Bodacious Red Blend
Saturday, April 28: Honest Bucker White Wine
Dashaway Chardonnay Black Arrow Cabernet Sauvignon Smoke Signals Merlot Trilogy Red Wine
Featured artists will be working with breaks between 2 pm – 4 pm:
Founder of Arrow Art Studio in Napa Valley, Sarah specializes in calligraphy and letter work with designs that are cleanly styled with an elegant edge. She often works in less traditional materials like chalkboards, plexiglass, mirrors, butcher paper, and leather.
Inspired by the female form and spirit, Amandalynn depicts strong, seductive women and illustrates their strength through line work and decorative patterning.
Saturday, April 21: Brett Crawford/Large Scale Paintings: startvault.com
Painter, metal sculptor, printmaker, illustrator and street artist are a few of the titles California native Brett Crawford holds. His work can be found in galleries and on walls all over Los Angeles. His preferred medium for large works is spray paint, but he is versatile and not limited to one material.
Tape and metal artist Dominic uses various methods and materials to carve, weave, and layer colorful metallic tape. He often transforms each piece into a balanced, symmetrical, and often abstract piece of artwork.
Featured Musicians will play with breaks between 2 pm – 4 pm:
Saturday, April 14: Rebecca Mimiaga an Indi Rock vocalist is known for her strong, intimate voice, piano songs, and orchestral arrangements.
Saturday, April 21: Katie Colver is a singer-songwriter and guitar player. Her voice is earthy and powerful, and her music is most influenced by folk and rock music of the 70s.
Saturday, April 28: Lauren Hulbert is a folk-rock singer-songwriter. She has a sultry, warm voice and a wide variety of raw and authentic songs.
As part of our Arts in April celebration, join us at The Room from 12 – 3 pm for live music by North Beach Brass Band.
San Francisco’s homegrown North Beach Brass Band is both a traditional brass band playing early jazz and show standards and an electrified post-bebop funk/jazz act playing classic groove jazz riffs. The lineup of sax, trumpet, trombone, tuba, bass drum, snare drum covers a wide array of genres, including New Orleans classics in the spirit of Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Rebirth Brass Band,
You can stop in anytime in April to see our latest seasonal art installation – “Imagine” by local artists the Baker Sisters. The exterior of our tasting room has been transformed into a living tribute to Flora Komes, our mother, grandmother, and the woman who inspired the founding of Flora Springs Winery. Then, step inside for an art-centric flight of family wines and peruse a curated gallery, featuring some of the most popular visual artists in the valley.
Thank you to Ivy Hill Entertainment for helping us to design this personalized event experience.
Bay Area native Tim Marconett is a Neo-soul singer songwriter and guitarist who has captivated audiences around the world. After establishing himself in the Bay Area he studied music performance at the ICMP in London. He went on to tour in Europe and the Caribbean and has played with greats like Jorge Santana and Narada Micheal Walden.
You can stop in anytime in April to see our latest seasonal art installation – “Imagine” by local artists the Baker Sisters. The exterior of our tasting room has been transformed into a living tribute to Flora Komes, our mother, grandmother, and the woman who inspired the founding of Flora Springs Winery. Then, step inside for an art-centric flight of family wines and peruse a curated gallery, featuring some of the most popular visual artists in the valley.
Thank you to Ivy Hill Entertainment for helping us to design this personalized event experience.
Join us at The Room to celebrate Arts in April and Earth Day.
See our latest seasonal art installation – “Imagine” by local artists the Baker Sisters. They have transformed the exterior of our tasting room into a living tribute to Flora Komes, our mother, grandmother, and the woman who inspired the founding of Flora Springs Winery.
Inside peruse a curated gallery and meet artists from Nimbus Arts. Enjoy acoustic live music by Henry Wolf, a vinyl DJ, and small bites. We will also be pouring splashes of select wines, and wine will also be available for purchase by the glass or bottle at special pricing.
This event is complimentary but please RSVP by April 19th – call (707) 967-8032 or email theroom@florasprings.com.
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Natalie Smith is a personable artist and a seasoned, distinctive songwriter. Smith brings to her audience a light hearted and honest story telling of her own original music.
You can stop in anytime in April to see our latest seasonal art installation – “Imagine” by local artists the Baker Sisters. The exterior of our tasting room has been transformed into a living tribute to Flora Komes, our mother, grandmother, and the woman who inspired the founding of Flora Springs Winery. Then, step inside for an art-centric flight of family wines and peruse a curated gallery, featuring some of the most popular visual artists in the valley.
Thank you to Ivy Hill Entertainment for helping us to design this personalized event experience.
We’ve once again commissioned Melissa and Mercedes Baker, known as The Baker Sisters, to create several seasonal art installations at The Room this year.
As a celebration of Arts in April and Earth Day, currently installed on the exterior of the tasting room is “Imagine” – a living tribute to Flora Komes, our mother, grandmother, and the woman who inspired the founding of Flora Springs Winery.
Visit any day in April to witness this tremendous artistic feat. Then, step inside for an art-centric flight of select wines and peruse a curated gallery – featuring some of the most popular visual artists in the valley. Every weekend we will feature a mix of live music, live paint sessions, a barbershop quartet, and spontaneous songs courtesy of BottleRock’s – and our own – Serf & James.
Join us after-hours for our Flora’s Social Open House on April 21st. Learn more and RSVP by April 19th.
“Love the land and it will love you back,” as Flora said, and after 40 years of winemaking over three generations, this remains at the heart of Flora Spring’s mission.
