You Need To Meet…Christopher Mize – Virginia’s Bourbon Artist

A few months ago, I stopped by the Christopher Mize booth while attending the Food and Wine Festival at National Harbor, Maryland. As I came around the side of the both, I stopped as I noticed a painting containing my favorite bourbon, Buffalo Trace. My wife, Patti and I had been discussing doing some redecorating in our family room, and the painting gave me an idea if I could find a smaller version.

Sure enough, I did find a smaller version, along with one of the Pappy Van Winkle family and one of Patti’s favorite whiskeys, Jameson. I left with the three paintings.

It’s not the first time we’ve purchased a Christopher Mize painting. In 2011, we came upon Christopher Mize selling his paintings at a wine show in Northern Virginia. We ended up purchasing a painting entitled “Nineteenth Hole” that included a couple of bottles of wine including an Arnold Palmer wine and some golf clubs. That painting has been hanging in our family room since. We don’t play golf as much as we used to but we still enjoy wine, and the painting always reminds us of our love for Arnold Palmer.

Mr. Mize specializes in heavily textured oil paintings. Most of his paintings have wine bottles or wine accessories as their focal points. However, he has increasingly branched out to include paintings of spirits as well.

Christopher Mize has never taken an art lesson. He has a BA in economics and an MBA. From Virginia, he lives near Richmond, and his paintings hang in numerous art galleries and restaurants in the area. He has had the dubious distinction of having one of his original paintings stolen out of a winery in California.

Not only does Mr. Mize produce original paintings but he also does oil giclée reproductions of his work which look as though they are originals. If you order an oil giclée, Mr. Mize will produce for you a hand embellished, oil giclée, signed limited edition Christopher Mize painting. He hand signs his name on the front of the painting, and the limited-edition information is put on the back with the painting name and the number for authenticity. Or if you like, you can order prints as well. The three paintings I bought at the wine festival are prints on canvas, and the “Nineteenth Hole” painting is one of the limited-edition oil giclée.

After our visit to the Wine Festival, I had another idea. Patti is a big fan of Ciroc Vodka. It is one of her go-to drinks. Not only does Mr. Mize do various paintings of wine, beer, and spirits among other paintings, he does custom paintings. I contacted him to see if he would do a painting of Patti’s favorite Ciroc bottles. I thought this would be a great present for her birthday and I was right.

After sending Mr. Mize two images and after a couple of discussions, he created an amazing painting. It captured Patti’s three favorite Ciroc Vodkas with style and expression. Entitled “Triple Threat,” it made a perfect and unique birthday present. Patti could not have been happier. The work is extraordinary. Not only is this a great painting but I notice more nuances in his work every time I look at it.

In the Virginia, Maryland, DC area it is easy to find Christopher Mize or his wife, manning a booth of his works at wine shows, bourbon fests, and other events. I always stop, if I see one of these booths. to see what new works he might have. He has a website as well, christophermize.com. His work makes an excellent and unique addition to a home bar, family room or another place in a home. I urge you to check out his website if you are looking for an item to complete your bourbon bunker. And if you don’t see something you like, think about a custom painting. You won’t be disappointed.

10% DISCOUNT

Mention you read this article on the Bourbon and Banter Website and Christopher Mize will take 10% off your next order.
Make sure you mention Bourbon and Banter.