A Vision of Spring

Today, the last day of February, winter and spring coexist in chilly bright paradox, with fitful sun, shivering daffodils, a cold north wind, and a soft blue sky sporadically clouded with snow flurries. Winter, which we worried would never come, is holding sway, but not enough to freeze the signs and harbingers of Spring from our yards and hearts.

All winter, Marcus has been conjuring Spring, breathing a blush into the gray days in his work on the Biltmore Estate's spring wine label, Biltmore in Bloom.

Following his lovely and well-loved Christmas wine label, Biltmore Winter, the estate once again selected Marcus to create the art that will adorn their special release 2013 Spring wine, a Rose' of Pinot Grigio.

Marcus' interpretation of spring arriving at the Biltmore Estate is, once again, a fantasy of beauty and majesty. Tulips, of a vibrant pink hue gardeners dream of, dominate the foreground en masse. The delicate flowers are juxtaposed against the background scene of the majestic mansion seemingly hovering in the spring forest, appearing more ethereal than the flowers, a reversal that can only happen in the magic of springtime. Above the entirety, the misty Blue Ridge Mountains and the new spring sky widen the horizon, opening portal of possibility for all who traipse the springtime landscape, searching for such wonder as the painting portrays.

About his work, Marcus writes, The tulips are definitely the stars of the design. I wanted the flowers to be elevated in the landscape, reigning above the house, creating good depth and inviting the eye to journey within the painting towards the magic of the estate, and beyond to the mountains and spring sky. Flower power prevails!

And flower power (and a good glass of wine) is just what the end of February needs! Snowy River Limited is pleased to announce that the prints of Biltmore in Bloom will be available for purchase. If you are local to Western North Carolina, you can find the prints and the book Flight of the Mind at Weaverville's Art Accents frame shop and gallery. A variety of framing options are also available. View these online at Marcus' official site. Online purchase is also available through the website.

Stay tuned for the official press release of Marcus' spring wine label for the Biltmore Estate. In the meantime, check out our February 2012 posts when we were at the height of the Christmas wine label voting contest, and enjoyed the luxury of a leap year.