Rick Vanderpool, of Commerce, has made a career of creating custom, unique pieces of art related to Texas. Beginning in 2000 with a montage of photos titled, "Looking for Texas," Vanderpool, 60, made a name for himself as a real Texas artist. He went on to complete additional projects, focusing his lens on everything from windmills to spurs. His latest project, "Ninety Days in Texas Wine Country," details the growing Texas wine industry.
While some of Vanderpool's projects have been commissioned, many, like "Ninety Days in Texas Wine Country," were his own idea.
During a road trip in Central Texas in 2008, he noticed a storm brewing. It wasn't just the massive clouds that made an impression, but the surrounding landscape.
"At the same instant, I noticed that a lovely vineyard came up on my left -- an excellent foreground for those dark clouds," Vanderpool recalled.
After turning his truck around, he pulled into the vineyard and began snapping shots.
"I climbed into the truck as the first fat raindrops began to fall from the awesome, brooding sky that had been the perfect backdrop for a lovely vineyard," he said. "I felt that I had some nice shots, but at the time, I had no idea that Drew Tallent's Grenache wines would inspire a Texas wine project."
After visiting another winery a few months later, Vanderpool began researching vineyards and wineries in Texas. The information sparked a deeper interest in the state's wine industry.
"A bit more reading revealed that Texas was the fifth largest producer of grapes and wines in the United States," he explained. "Texas has over 220 vineyards and almost an equal number of wineries -- all prospective subjects for my project and hopefully customers for my work.
"My research was more than enough to convince me to to map out a series of trips that might enable me to capture an entire grape-growing and wine-making season throughout the entire state. And, in spite of the Texas weather, a lousy economy and other bumps along several roads, I managed to do just that."
Vanderpool traveled more than 7,500 miles and took thousands of photographs along his journey. He visited wineries from the Texas Plains, down to the Gulf Coast. The travels left him with a great appreciation for the people that make the Texas wine and grape industry what it is today.
"I met scores of proud growers of Texas grapes and makers of Texas wine, and my tribute to them has only begun with a visual celebration of what they shared with me -- their stories, their vineyards and wineries, and their dreams."
The final project contains 90 images, representing 90 days at more than 100 Texas vineyards and wineries. Vanderpool has been debuting the montage at Texas Wine Month events throughout the month of October. He plans to continue his tour through the end of the year.
For more information about the project and to order prints, visit http://www.whatssograpeabouttexas.com/ . For more information about Vanderpool and his creations, visit www.stateart.net, or contact him via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
