Acrylic on Canvas, 16” x 20”

This painting is a tribute to my years in Mesa, Arizona, and a wine bar called D’vine. When I first moved to Arizona from Hawaii, I was searching for a place to share my art. I drove around with paintings in the car, hoping someone would let me hang my art. D’vine welcomed me with open arms.

They let me hang paintings from floor to ceiling throughout their restaurant. If a painting sold, the staff would run credit cards for me and/or hold the cash until I picked it up. The owner and manager were incredibly supportive, and over time, I started working there as a hostess, which helped me get to know customers and staff even better. It wasn’t just a place to hang art, it became a second home and a family.

This painting is an abstract self-portrait of sorts. It’s of me, sitting at the bar, enjoying a glass of wine, surrounded by vibrant memories and pieces of myself. Though I’ve since moved to New York, D’vine still stands today under the same ownership, and I’ll always think of them with love and gratitude.