Steve (Seizo) Nakamura

Steven Seizo Nakamura is a California based artist who opened his art studio, “Ancient Vine Studio”, in Long Beach “Ancient Vines” has come to fruition through a period of growth, struggle, life changes, lack of sleep, and amazing friends Let the piece “Songs from the Red Violin” excite your imagination and glimpse the complex colors that have evolved from using Red Wine as a medium Let us take you on a journey through the beauty of pastels and wine Steven specializes in techniques that utilize Red Wine as a medium He studied fine art and illustration at CSUN and has competed in several Plein Air competitions in Southern California In 2009, Steven was enjoying an elegant meal and a glass of fine wine from Paso Robles with his wife, on their Lake Forest balcony Steven, a Trader Joe’s wine specialist, began describing this wine as “dark and inky ” His wife asked what does that mean Steven walked into his art studio and placed a brush into his wine glass and began the first strokes of his art career “Colors of Wine”, is a personal art journey and story I explore the flavors of wine through it’s complex pigmentation and concentration The wine becomes as much of the story telling process as the subject and the artist It is a passion for exploration and for living life, holding special memories and now a way to share them ” Steven invites you enjoy his artwork with a splash of wine When he began experimenting with the possibility of ‘Fine Wine’ as a medium for art, he was drawn to the brilliant colors of this organic staining compound The paintings had a life of their own that was a continuation of the grape to the bottle to the painting These paintings are alive with all of the subtle variations that you would expect from the uniqueness of each grape varietal, and style of wine making He was drawn to the brilliant colors of this organic staining compound The paintings had a life of their own that was a continuation of the grape to the bottle to the painting These paintings are alive with all of the subtle variations that you would expect from the uniqueness of each grape varietal, and style of wine making I am a fine art painter with a background in illustration I am a thinking painter and my paintings are complex puzzles that I have solved or the beginning of solutions I am currently working on My work tells stories and there are often multiple meanings or hidden themes to be discovered Ink, is my favorite material to paint with because as in life “there are no take backs” I enjoy all water media and have a special place in my heart for Oil painting I take special delight in discovering materials that many overlook The Colors Of Wine is a reminder that things enjoy many meanings and that like us, is unique.