Letter from the Editor - November 2005 by John Ney

To use the term, “working” on this issue would be a misrepresentation, as from start to finish has been a pleasure of immense proportions that I can not describe.  It has offered me the opportunity to meet and spend a lot of time with a great group of people, which has enhanced my life.  In the essence of disclosure, I consider Thomas Arvid a very good friend; however I am quite sure he makes each person that he touches, feel the exact same way.  I have the utmost of respect and admiration for not only Arvid the artist, but Thomas Arvid the person, and much of what you experience in this issue of Wine Savant will reflect that.

Owning a piece of Arvid art is without a doubt a sense of pride and shear pleasure to all who have had the opportunity and privilege to do so.  The “opportunity” to own his artwork is available to anyone who desires and is as simple as making the commitment to visit an authorized Arvid Gallery either in person or in what has become commonplace, on the Interent (see list of authorized Arvid Galleries on page 38).  The purpose of owning a piece of art is for your own personal pleasure, however an additional benefit of quality art, at least with Arvid's work, is that it is also an investment, that although there are no guarantees of return, if history is an indicator, will certainly increase in value considerably over the long term.  The one guarantee that I can offer is that your investment in his art will pay incredible dividends of personal enjoyment for a lifetime!

I personally witnessed the joy his art has brought to so many people, from the appreciative who have up to this point only “window shopped”, to the husband who could not put the love for his wife into words on their wedding anniversary and believed that actions meant more, and obtained the sold out piece “Let's Get Lost” on the open market and fulfilled her long-awaited dream.  The emotion and appreciation that couple showed the gallery owners who secured the piece on the secondary market for them was incredible as they invited them, complete strangers until now, to share in their anniversary celebration with a toast of Perrier-Jouet Champagne.

Inside you will meet Julie Dalton, an attractive young lady from Baltimore (she's single guys) who has taken an appreciation for his art nearly to the point of being a life-consuming obsession.  Alright, that might be an exaggeration, but her story is a heart-touching encounter not to be missed.

My vision for this issue was to bring Arvid's art to life.  Behind the bottles of wine and the props in his work, is a lot of history with wineries and people, all with a story that needs to be told.  As autumn turns to winter, pour yourself a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, curl up in front of a fireplace and enjoy the Arvid Holiday Issue of Wine Savant.  As we release each issue of Wine Savant, we believe it is to be kept and cherished, but this issue in particular will be a reference for a lifetime.  It is my sincere desire and strong belief that even longtime collectors and fans of Arvid's work, will have a newfound appreciation from a different angle.

I want to thank the wineries and the people behind them who gave of their time and shared their stories. Thank you to everyone I have met and spoken to in my research, and most of all, a special thank you to Thomas Arvid and his family for making this issue possible.