Christie Taylor & Fred Sprock Featured Artists in September

September 1, 2015 · by BishopsStock ·

September’s feature shows just what can happen when a couple is drawn to the beauty of an area with the desire to make a change. In 2012 Christie Taylor and Fred Sprock found the marshes along Chincoteague Bay to be so compelling they decided to build a home and move from their native state of North Carolina. For two artists with a love of nature the end result is a home that brings light to their individual studios and creates gallery space for their art collection.

Christie manages Hodges Taylor, an art consultancy in Charlotte, North Carolina but for this show she has put her bright studio to good use. Her work in oil focuses on landscapes with abstract elements of space, light and shadows. The change of season is a compelling subject for Christie as one can she on her website.

Fred’s move to Maryland has offered concentrated time to paint and the opportunity to take his technical skills to new levels. His website shows how he has challenged himself to be an “artist” not just a painter. Fred’s newest work draws the viewer with new depth and atmosphere taking him to a new level as an artist.

Filed Under: Art · Tagged: Christie Taylor, contemporary art, Eastern Shore, Featured Artist, Fred Sprock, Hodges Taylor

September Featured Wines – 2013 Casa Ferreirinha Planalto White Reserva & 2013 Quinto do Casto Douro Red, Douro, Portugal

September 1, 2015 · by BishopsStock ·

2013 Casa Ferreirinha Planato White Reserva, Douro Portugal $14

This white Portuguese whit wine is produced from Viosinho, Malvesia Fina, Gouveio, Codega and Arinto grapes. It is bright lemon in color and has a very intense and complex bouquet, with a prevalence of white fruits, fresh vegetable notes of green shrubs and some mineral notes. This wine has a long and balanced finish perfect for that first roasted chicken this fall.

2013 Quinto do Casto Douro Red, Douro, Portugal $15

This red blend is made from traditional Douro red grape varieties: Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca and Touriga Franca. It has ripe red fruit aromas and is very fruity on the palate, with good structure and light tannins which make it a very pleasant wine. Unoaked, it is produced to be a fresh, fruity, easy-to-drink wine that pairs wells with pork roasted with fruit.

Filed Under: Wine · Tagged: Douro, Featured wine, Portugal, Quinto do Casto

Lois Engberg & Carole Boggemann Peirson Featured Artists in August

August 1, 2015 · by BishopsStock ·

In August we will bring two of our artists together. Lois Engberg and Carole Boggemann Peirson have become friends through shared painting experiences. If you know their work it is easy to see why they enjoy painting with each other and exploring exhibits and events together. They both paint in oil in the classical tradition with a strong emphasis on light. Lois is strongly influenced by the Old Masters and paints mostly still life subjects straight from her garden. In recent years she has taken more interest in plein air painting. With her Dutch background Carole is also known for her classic still lifes and florals, but her main focus is now painting plein air landscapes using these studies for studio work. Both Lois and Carole teach oil painting to adults. Links to their websites are listed on our Artist page.

Filed Under: Art · Tagged: Carole Boggemann Peirson, Eastern Shore, Featured Artist, Lois Engberg, oil on canvas

August Featured Wines – 2014 Cune Monopole Viura & 2011 Cune Rioja Crianza, Rioja, Spain.

August 1, 2015 · by BishopsStock ·

2014 Cune Monopole Viura, Rioja, Spain $15

The 2013 Monopole received a 90 rating from Wine Spectator and was ranked 64 in their 2014 Top 100 Wines so the prospects for the latest vintage is very positive. This is a focused white which shows bright, juicy flavors of white peach and Meyer lemon, with herbal and mineral accents. The texture is quite rich, but crisp, citrusy acidity keeps this lively. This is a wine for sipping or can be a wonderful pairing with summer seafood.

2011 Cune Rioja Crianza, Rioja, Spain $15

2011 Cune Rioja Crianza is a smooth and supple Tempranillo. Crianza means it has been aged 2 years with at least 6 months in oak. This wine is clean and bright, with fresh red fruits, a hint of spice, lively acidity, balanced structure and a lingering finish. When I tasted this wine I had forgotten how delightful a good Crianza can be. This one would be great pairing for pulled pork or ribs.

Filed Under: Wine · Tagged: Crianza, Featured wine, Rioja, Spain, Viura

Figurative Compositions by Kathy Daywalt

July 1, 2015 · by BishopsStock ·

During July Bishop’s Stock will feature the work of Kathy Daywalt who is a working artist with 40 years of successful experience in a variety of mediums. She has shown work with us over the past several years but this month we will focus on her interest in figures and beautifully patterned compositions. Daywalt works with bold color using various watermedia. She lives in Annapolis and is a Signature Member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society with representation by galleries in Maryland, Delaware, North Carolina, New Mexico and California.

Filed Under: Art · Tagged: contemporary art, Featured Artist, Kathy Daywalt, Maryland, Mid-Atlantic, watercolor

July Featured Wines – 2014 Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc & 2013 Southern Right Pinotage, South Africa

July 1, 2015 · by BishopsStock ·

2014 Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc, Walker Bay, South Africa $14

This Sauvignon Blanc is produced by Hamilton Russell Vineyards, one of the most southerly wine Estates in Africa and one of the closest to the sea in South Africa. It is a crisp, dry and juicy Sauvignon Blanc with generous tropical fruit and racy acidity. This fresh, bright and lively wine has good depth and nice length. This is a great summer wine for shellfish, fish or light chicken dishes. Alcohol: 13%

2013 Southern Right Pinotage, Hemel-En-Aarde Valley, South Africa $24

Wine Spectator gives this vintage 90 points due to the ripe and stylish presentation of the varietal with a blend of 92.2 % Pinotage, 4.4% Malbec, 2.3% Syrah and Petit Verdot 1.1% With this vintage Southern Right is re-defining Pinotage as a intense classically styled, clay-grown wine, packed with complex berry fruit, beautiful tannins and subtle wood spice. This wine has full ripeness and the longer hang-time afforded by cooler sites, combined with the complex, more classic fruit aromas and structure resulting from clay-rich soil, make this wine a highly individual expression of South Africa’s unique grape variety. Yes, this is a great summer wine to uncork for grilled barbecued ribs and hamburgers. Alcohol: 14%

Filed Under: Wine · Tagged: Featured wine, Pinotage, Sauvingnon Blanc, South Africa

Watercolors by Nancy Mysak and C. Keith Whitelock Featured in June

June 1, 2015 · by BishopsStock ·

In June Bishop’s Stock will offer work by two noted area watercolorists, Nancy Mysak and C. Keith Whitelock. Both Mysak and Whitelock are natives of the Eastern Shore. They attribute their love of local landscapes as inspiration for their paintings. The love of the area and their technical skills have received recognition from their peers. Mysak is a signature member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society. Whitelock was named a signature member of the American Society of Marine Artists.

The exciting aspect of this show is the diversity in their painting styles and their range of skills as watercolorists. Viewers will gain an appreciation for a rapidly disappearing lifestyle by the fine details in Whitelock’s realistic images of working boats, small villages and derelict structures. Similarly,Mysak’s work with vibrant color and light tells a story. She sees her paintings as a means of journaling her feelings and experiences as an essential and joyous part of her life.

Filed Under: Art · Tagged: C. Keith Whitelock, contemporary art, Featured Artist, Maryland, Nancy Mysak, watercolor

June Featured Wines – 2014 Chateau La Graviere, Entre-Deux-Mers, France & 2013 Bouchard Aine & Fils Pinot Noir, Beaune, France

June 1, 2015 · by BishopsStock ·

2014 Chateau La Graviere, Entre-Deux-Mers, France $11

The region’s name, which means “between two seas,” refers to its location between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. Entre-Deux-Mers is best known for inexpensive dry white wines. This is a medium dry white wine with Semillion used to soften Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is fruity with a great nose. While not a huge white Bordeaux this is a very pleasant wine for summer entertaining. Drink without food but this is a good food wine with summer’s fresh vegetables and seafood. Alcohol: 12.5%

2013 Bouchard Aine & Fils Pinot Noir, South of France $11

This is a deliciously fruit-forward Pinot Noir from the South of France produced by the Bouchard family – one of France’s great wine merchant families. This wine is characterized by its aromatic complexity and mild tannins. It is brilliant cherry red and has red fruit aromas, cherry, kirsch with notes of lime and mint. There is a lot of fruit and a delicate note of wood. This is a well balanced wine that can be served with lighter summer meals from the grill. Alcohol: 13%

Both of these wines are examples of the quality and value Bishop’s Stock offers. Neither wine is a “heavy hitter” but each show good quality for the varietals.

Filed Under: Wine · Tagged: Featured wine, France, Pinot Noir, Sauvingnon Blanc, Semillon

Plein Air with Gary Pendleton Featured in May

May 1, 2015 · by BishopsStock ·

Gary Pendleton to be Featured

During May Bishop’s Stock will celebrate plein air painting with work by Gary Pendleton from North Beach in Southern Maryland. Gary is the Past President of the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association and the author of 100 Plein Air Painters of the Mid-Atlantic, published in 2014 by Schiffer books. As a native Marylander he finds inspiration in every corner of the state, from the Chesapeake Bay to Appalachian Mountains and beyond. Whenever possible, he takes his easel out to paint in the towns, cities and natural areas. The regular practice of painting from life, “en plein air,” allows him to create the feeling of light and atmosphere in his paintings. His love of plein air painting also lead him to research and write about regional artists who share his interest.

100 Plein Air Painters of the Mid-Atlanticis a beautiful catalog of regional paintings. It is packed with over 400 color reproductions of work by some of today’s finest landscape artists, including Kirk McBride, Lynn Lockhart, David Diaz, Stan Sperlak, Carole Boggemann Pierson and Leslie Belloso. The book not only documents the contemporary art scene, it includes a concise history of landscape painting in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.

Additionally the show will include Paint Snow Hill plein air paintings by a number of the artists included in the book – Lynne Lockhart, Kirk McBride, Nancy West, Meg Walsh, Lynne Mehta, David Diaz, Laura Howell, Mary Pritchard, Claudia Brookes and Desiree Holmes Scherini.

Filed Under: Art · Tagged: Featured Artist, Gary Pendleton, Maryland, Mid-Atlantic, plein air

May Featured Wines – 2013 Ox-Eye Riesling & 2012 Ox-Eye Cabernet Franc, Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

May 1, 2015 · by BishopsStock ·

Ox-Eye Vineyards, Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

Ox-Eye Vineyards (the actual vineyard) is located near Staunton in Augusta County, but has a tasting room in downtown Staunton. The 100-acre farm was purchased by John and Susan Kiers in 1996 with the main intention of growing wine grapes in Augusta County. This particular site was chosen because of the unique climate of the Shenandoah Valley, hot temperatures during the day and much cooler temperatures across the valley at night. Other factors were the low rainfall as well as the deep limestone soils. These conditions, we were told, allow the grapes to ripen and intensify the sugar content while maintaining the acidity in late summer and early fall. The vineyard was named Ox-Eye after the ox-eye daisies that are strewn throughout the vineyard. The Kiers planted their first two acres of grape vines in 1999 and, eventually, expanded the planting to around twenty acres.

The original venture was to sell grapes to local vineyards, but after 10 years and some deliberation between the couple they decided to build their own winery. They did just that in 2010 and began selling their own Estate Bottled wines. Not long after, the Kiers purchased and renovated an old coal and lumber office building which was built in 1903. This would come to be their main tasting room location. The building was completely renovated and its doors were opened to the public for the first time in the spring of 2011. The exterior brick is painted an eye-catching yellow to match that of the ox-eye flowers that grow on the Vineyard property, while the interior glimmers from the refinished pine floors, windows, and tasting bar.

2013 Ox-Eye Riesling $18

This is a perfect off-dry Riesling. The Kiers have found a niche for German-style wines. Being off- dry means the sweetness of the grape does not overwhelm. There is a nice blend of citrus and a hint of honey. This is a light-bodied wine that is a perfect compliment to many foods. Perfect with shellfish and wonderful with Asian foods. Alcohol: 11.8%

2012 Ox-Eye Cabernet Franc $20

Cabernet Franc is a medium bodied red lighter in color and tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon. Ox-Eye is dry with ripe plum and raspberry perfumes. Citrus aromas mesh with bright acidity, adding a touch of minerality mid palate, while maintaining a semi-sweet but not puckering finish. This pairs with red meats and full flavored cheeses.A good wine for grilled meals. Alcohol: 13.2%

Filed Under: Wine · Tagged: Cabernet Franc, Featured wine, Ox-Eye Vineyards, Riesling, Virgnia wines