Thomas Arvid is a self taught artist and he speaks with animated passion about his place at the intersection of the two forms of art forms. "Wine is a beautiful catalyst," he says. "If you're open to living, the painting will present itself to you."

The connection between art, wine and life itself is at the forefront in Arvid's work. He focuses on the feeling we all get when sitting with friends after popping the cork. And, in many cases, his paintings challenge the pretension surrounding traditional wine images.

The informality of Arvid's compositions and the massive dimensions of his canvasses represent much of the country's progress toward something distinctly American. In other words: Culture is here - in wine and in art - and, like Arvid's paintings, it's always larger than life.