alex maceda studio x Tourist
I’m thrilled to partner with Tourist, a Bay-Area-bred wine label that scours the West Coast for the best in small production wines. Tourist partners with small wineries to introduce their drinkers a new selection wine monthly. I’ve long been a fan of their focus on exploration, small businesses, and general merriment and I am thrilled to be their first artist collaboration! The three wines are now available on their site; a set of each of the 3 bottles is $60 or $49 with a Tourist membership.
I worked with Tourist founder, Luc Bergevin, to design three labels featuring my original artwork for Tourist’s November 2022 selection. The bottles are their first nouveau (i.e. from the current year’s harvest) wines, sourced from Subject to Change, a local Bay Area winery that focuses on organic grapes and natural wines.
The labels give a nod to three organic and natural elements that most inspire me: the sun, as represented by my brand new painting, ‘SUNSET AND A SUMMER MONSOON,’ on the Petite Sirah, water as represented by ‘WATER MEDITATION I’ on the Zinfandel, and Air as represented by my painting ‘AIR SIGNS’ for the 50/50.
The first two paintings are from my most recent collection, “INTERIOR SPACES” which is now available on my website.
As a Bay Area native, it’s been a delight to work with a hometown company on such a special project! Luc and I first met in high school, where we both volunteered for the Palo Alto Red Cross’s “Safe Rides,” designated driver program. 15 years ago we were encouraging our peers to drink responsibly and now we’re… still encouraging our peers to drink responsibly. ;) And also to drink more local, with an eye towards the people producing and the stories behind the grapes we consume, and at least on my end, with a little more color.
San Francisco Launch Party
We launched the wines last week in San Francisco, where Tourist hosted a wine pour at the new Brooklinen store on Hayes. I brought up some of the original paintings from the collab and exhibited at the event. The Brooklinen employees even staged my framed print over the bed (great merchandising!).
It was a full circle moment for me — I lived a couple blocks away from the space (a former yoga studio) for years. I started my professional painting journey in San Francisco during the pandemic, and realized despite my Bay Area roots, I have never hosted an in-person art event there. It was so, so good to see so many people, from so many different parts of my life at the event. Thank you so much for coming.
I’ve always wanted to do a wine label, and working with Tourist was a wonderful experience. The wines are excellent — lighter and fresher than you would expect for reds, given their young vintage. I’ve been joking that they are a great addition for your holiday table; they provide an easy out when the conversations with your distant relatives or in-laws turn dicey. Say it with me now:
relative: “(Off-color comment)”
you: “Haha anyway, I know the artist who designed this wine bottle label…”
The collaboration is live on the Tourist website. If you select “3 reds” you will one of each of the set of 3 for $60.
The two paintings and the print are available to collect on my website as well. You can read more about the collab on my website and if you look closely, you’ll even see a code for 10% off my work through the end of the year. I have some new paintings up, so if you’ve been waiting to snag one — this is your time.
Many blessings and wishing you a week full of gratitude and merriment.