Introducing “Art at Wessex Hundred” at the Susan Constant Hall Tasting Room

It’s no surprise that wine and art pair well together.

After all, winemaking is an art in itself.

Guests at the Williamsburg Winery can now savor both inside the Susan Constant Hall tasting room that will house an ongoing exhibit titled “Art at Wessex Hundred.”

The 400-acre farm and its picturesque green space are the inspiration for 31 local artists, whose works will change with the seasons. The opening exhibit, “New Beginnings,” is essentially “an ode to spring,” says Mary McCormick, one of the volunteer organizers behind the exhibition that will run from April 1 until Aug. 29.

The paintings on the walls of the tasting room where visitors can enjoy a flight of wine with snacks capture settings and subjects indoors and outside of the winery, which is reminiscent of a European village removed from the hubbub of everyday living.

Each of the paintings is for sale.

Williamsburg Winery founder Patrick Duffeler is something of an artist himself. He’s an avid drawer who regularly picks up a pencil to sketch out something he is describing. Duffeler also espouses his appreciation for life’s finer things — healthy air to breathe, excellent food and wine accompanied by casual conversation, and culture that includes music and art. Visitors will find all of those components at the winery that has been Duffeler’s life and passion for the last 40 years.

Historical art, including etchings and maps, is scattered throughout the winery and Wedmore Place. “It’s part of our mission to exhibit art,” Duffeler says. “We are always happy to host events for local artists.”

“Art at Wessex Hundred” is an extension of that philosophy.

Duffeler met with McCormick and three other volunteers about transforming the Susan Constant Hall into something of a mini gallery of all that is lovely about Wessex Hundred.

“The exhibit will feature local artists who work in a variety of styles and media,” McCormick says. “Most have exhibited extensively and are well known.”

The featured artists spent time touring Wessex Hundred, snapping reference photos and learning about the complex process of making wine. They visited many of the must-see spaces at the winery, including Wedmore Place, the cellars that store the barrels and the Duck Pond. The artwork reflects the many different facets of the winery, including the land itself, the winery’s conservancy efforts, the buildings that exude old world charm and the people who flock to one of the most storied spots in Williamsburg.

The images will change with the season. Subsequent rotations will be “Bountiful Harvest” from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30 and “Winter Romance” from Dec. 1 through March 30, 2023.

“We are hopeful that people who come to the winery will want to take a piece of it home with them,” McCormick says. “We have an incredible price range.”

McCormick notes how ideal wineries are for painters. “They’re captivating,” she says. “There’s something about watching the growth of the vines and the grapes blooming and suddenly it becomes something else — a wonderful bottle of wine. That whole process sparks everyone’s imagination.”

Enjoy life, good food and wine, and art at the Williamsburg Winery.

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