The Artists We Proudly Feature on Our Wine Labels

2020 Ozymandias Wines Scholarship recipient: Irina Lakshin

Ozymandias Wines announces our fourth recipient of the Ozymandias Wines Scholarship with the New York Academy of Art in 2020, with Irina Lakshin’s piece: Warrior (seen below).

Irina Lakshin sculpture, “Warrior” especially stood out to us because of the detail that’s clearly put into this composition. This label is extra special for us because it marks the first time a sculptor will be featured on our wine bottles. 

Lakshin let us in on her creative process for this piece saying, 

“Awhile back, I read a work of fiction where the main character was a warrior who possessed ancient secret combat techniques. It was a fascinating novel that painted a story of duty to country, personal growth, military triumphs, and, of course, love.

A few months later I began making this sculpture without knowing exactly what I was going to create. My work moved slowly, and the final image was born during the creative process. 

When the sculpture was finished, I realized that I’d sculpted the image of that same warrior who was born in my head after I’d finished reading that book.”

2019 Ozymandias Wines Scholarship recipient: Young Lim Lee

Ozymandias Wines announces our third recipient of the Ozymandias Wines Scholarship with the New York Academy of Art in 2019, with Young Lim Lee’s piece: Pigeon (seen below).

2018 Ozymandias Wines Scholarship recipient: Jay Miriam

Ozymandias Wines announced our second recipient of the Ozymandias Wines Scholarship with the New York Academy of Art in 2018.

Jay Miriam’s “Mozzarella Spread,” was selected as the new label for Ozymandias Wines in 2018. Miriam’s paintings weave tales from dreams, imagined narratives, old lore and even the daily, often ordinary, lives of mysterious women. A constant in many of her works is the visceral pleasure in food and drink. In “Mozzarella Spread,” the subject stretches her limbs, imbibing on a plate of earthly delights, shielding her viewer from the deeper secrets lying on her tongue. Needless to say, her work pairs amazingly well with our Ozymandias Wines.

2017 Ozymandias Wines Scholarship recipient: Mary Ball

2017 marked the beginning of a partnership between Ozymandias Wines and the New York Academy of Art with Ozymandias Wines awarding a scholarship for students at NYAA. The first recipient of this annual scholarship was Mary Ball.

Influenced by a coastal environment and the southern role models who raised her, Mary utilizes forms and figures to display strength in femininity. She uses body language, color, and patterns to express individuality within figures and create harmonious compositions. Through her imagined scenes, Mary fashions a world that allows her to question society as well as find her place within it.

Mary’s personally chosen piece,”Folly,” is featured on the front label (pictured to the right) of the 2017 release of Ozymandias Wines’ Chardonnay blend. We think the emotion evoked in the imagery perfectly captures a description of the luscious white wine inside the bottle: it’s like drinking summertime in a glass.

Mary is interested in depicting women who display strength in their natural state and environment, which is something we strive to achieve with the growing of our grapes and their expression through the natural terroir of Long Island. Mary captures strength through truth in her paintings, as we attempt to embody the truth of the sandy loam soils only found in the North Fork of Long Island.

Mary Ball was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama. She currently lives and works in New York City.

You can see more of Mary’s work here.

2016 Artist

Sophy Holland

Sophy Holland is a British-born Photographer, Director and Creative Director. She studied at Central St. Martins in London and started her career as a painter before transitioning to Art Direction for both editorial and advertising clients in New York City and London. After being selected as the inaugural featured artist on the front label of the 2016 release of Ozymandias Wines, Sophy agreed to help the Ozymandias Wines team by being part of the selection committee of future benefiting artists. Sophy also helped design the Ozymandias Wines logo. For more information about Sophy and her work visit her website.

"I've always been a fan of Sophy's work, so when I heard she was exploring shooting a documentary film in '16 I knew the timing would be perfect for Ozymandias' planned launch. Thankfully Sophy shared my enthusiasm for being a part of the wine project and welcomed support for her film. I love the way Sophy incorporated the Ozymandias logo into the wine label which almost represents the premise of her documentary on the patterns and disorders of sleep rhythms. The placement of the logo on the third eye, and the her decision to display grapevine roots (which lurk below the fruits and vines, but play such a vital role in the taste of wine) on the bottom half of the label, to me are symbolic of the unseen yet vital role sleep plays in all of our lives. Whether that is actually the case, you'll have to ask Sophy. Nonetheless, we are so proud and excited to have Sophy's work featured on our inaugural wine label and are equally excited to see Sophy's film."

- Rafe D'Amico, Founder, Ozymandias Wines

2017 Artist

Briana Navarro

Briana Navarro, Burning River, is Ozymandias Wines' featured artist for 2017. As an artist and environmental activist, Briana intends to raise awareness for the necessity to transform to safe, responsible methods of energy production. Funding from sales of her featured wine will help her make large scale paintings expanding on this theme.