A detail of the copper collar on the wine bottle “Of the Vine” by Nancy Putney. Photo by Terry Telford

By Terry Telford

Artistically transformed wine bottles will be on full display this Wednesday evening, April 21, as the Bakersfield Museum of Art presents “Winescapes,” an annual fundraiser benefiting the museum.

Now in its third year, the Winescapes event has become a highlight for art lovers, wine connoisseurs and especially those who are both. In addition to wine, there will be appetizers from Moo Creamery and Lisa Borda, as well as a viewing of the spring exhibits in the museum. To top it off, event-goers will be privy to an exclusive auction of one-of-a-kind giant wine bottles which have been transformed into art by various local artists.

Gallery owners, designers, photographers, teachers and many more make up the diverse group of artists who were invited to participate in creating the unique artwork. Each was given a six-liter green bottle with which to take creative license. Some painted the bottles, some used collage, others etched, attached metal, or even ceramics to their glass. One artist even melted her bottle to form a new piece of sculpture.

Painter Nancy Putney has participated in the Winescapes event each year since its inception. She says it is an honor to be asked to work on the bottles because, “It’s enjoyable. It’s a way to support the arts and a way to make our community a better place — to keep the arts nice and strong.” Putney, who in the past has used paint to decorate her bottles, used tinted copper to create a stunning grapevine collar for her bottle, which she calls “Of the Vine.”

Barbara Reid, a past museum board member and current exhibits committee member, also has been creating wine bottles for the fundraiser since its beginning. Her Japanese bark paper-wrapped bottle with painted trees strikes a serene and organic note she calls “Sanctuary.” She says the museum fundraiser is worthwhile because the museum “brings a lot of credibility to the town. They’ve brought some really good shows, so they’re important.”

All bottles will be auctioned off to raise funds for the museum — some through a silent auction with prices starting below $100 and some presented through a live auction to be sold to the highest bidder.

According to Beth Pandol, director of marketing for the museum, the evening of wine and art will benefit various programs including after school arts education, summer art camp and senior programs, as well as continuing the quality of exhibits the museum continues to deliver.

Pre-sold tickets are $40 for individuals, $75 for couples and $500 for a premium table of eight. Admission at the door is $50.

Wine tasting will include samples from Rutherford Wine Co., Silkwood Wines, Graveyard Vineyards, Arroyo Robles Winery, Sextant Wines, and Doce Robles Winery — a new addition this year.

Winescapes 2010 will take place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, at the Bakersfield Museum of Art, 1930 R St. For reservations or more information call 661-323-7219. Learn more about the museum at www.bmoa.org.