Philippe Dufrenoy is a very talented and unusual painter hailing from Bordeaux, France. What sets him apart from other painters is the medium in which he works... wine.
In 2000, at the age of 53, Defrenoy was trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. Sitting in a cafe one day and trying to keep his fingers busy he dipped a brush into his glass of wine, drew a garnet sketch on a piece of paper, and he had his answer. He first became well known for his landscapes and vignettes, but after the Mondavi's discovered his talents they asked him to paint their portrait. He has a close relationship with his clients and uses their wine (bold cabernets and merlots) to create his paintings. He starts with a photo session where he shoots black & white film and then begins painting. He creates several layers of wine in order to create depth of color and intensity. A Dufrenoy original last only about 10 years, but during its lifetime it can go through beautiful changes that start with deep purples and later subdued, deep, sepia-like tones. Here are a few samples of his work. You can see more at his website- www.philippedufrenoy.com