Thomas Arvid – The Artist who launched a Major Art Trend

"Life without art is like dinner without wine. Why bother?" says Thomas Arvid, an artist who has achieved glorious success with his photorealistic wine paintings.

Although Arvid had found his fascination in art very early age, he never expected to make a career out of it.

The Buzz on Arvid

The US Art Magazine has named Thomas Arvid one of the top "25 Artists you should know".

Conn Valley Vineyards' Gus Anderson, for instance, loved how the paintings are so realistic – which gives the sense that he truly loves wine.

In May 2003, Art Business News credited him with "Launching a major Art Trend."

Doug Shafer of Shafer vineyards talked about how Arvid's style is big and bold, and had the detail and softness that helped create the right balance. Shafer equated this to the skills of a winemaker.

His work has also been featured in The Wine Spectator, Décor and Art World News.

The Early Life of Thomas Arvid

Thomas Arvid was born in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. Painting Murals, drawing and illustrations had already made their way into Arvid's childhood. Although he had an aptitude for art, his parents, like any other, were concerned about his financial stability.

They suggested that he get a degree in art and pursue the teaching profession, which was more secure. He never received any formal training, and the only options he saw on his horizon were those of becoming a draftsman or a sign-painter or a commercial painter at best.

His Foundations

In 1986, Thomas Arvid moved to Atlanta, where he learned to paint with oils as an alternative to the industrial work he did back home. He moved into a large loft downtown and worked late nights to improvise his learning.

His passion accrued more inspiration during a backpacking trip to Europe with his art Historian Girlfriend Vanessa with whom he discussed how important it was for him to have an organizing principle. After they returned, he began painting full time using the space in the warehouse of his large loft.

The Marriage of Wine and Art

Thomas Arvid was always passionate about art and the color red. His early paintings were set around red American icons like Campbell Soup cans, Converse high-top tennis shoes, Radio Flyer Wagons, and then came the Red Wine from Napa.

His palette opened up to the world of fine wines when one of his admirers asked him to paint a bottle of Silver Oak Cabernet but insisted that he taste the wine first. Thus began his gout de terroir journey with wine, which he has refined over time with patience and perspective.

His Style

Arvid has a fantastic technique of using light, depth and reflection to capture intricate details on his canvas. His oversized painting of wine consumption and the rituals surrounding it have made him the nation's premier painter of wine.

He plays with the observer's imagination by always painting cropped imagery, forcing you to wonder what lay beyond the frame. This technique makes the observer fill the expanse with his memories and fantasies, enabling a personal connection with the painting.

Although he paints still life moments, his work is very different from the traditional ones. Arvid considers himself a landscape painter, capturing the story set in a landscape and of living a good life.

His Career

Realizing he was onto something big, Thomas Arvid went to Napa for Gallery representation. The gallery bought his entire collection, and by the time he got back home to Atlanta, he was all sold out. Today his work features across 50 galleries in America, Japan and Canada.

Collectors wait for years to get their hands on one of his originals. To meet the demand, he also started doing some limited editions. Check out his collections at Dolphin Galleries.

Whenever Arvid is doing an event, he always has an invitation pouring in to join for a glass of wine or to stay at someone's guest house. The talented, nationally recognized artist, who travels with his ukulele is also an outstanding musician and chef. But above all, he is a philanthropist and a family man who always looks forward to returning to his wife and two sons in Atlanta.