The Hess Collection...

Another day Dad drove us to Napa to visit The Hess Collection, a free contemporary art museum at Hess Winery. Donald Hess, a Swiss entrepreneur and wine producer at six wineries on four continents, limits himself to collecting works by living artists whom he supports long term. This was my favorite piece, Hommage by Leopaldo Maler from Argentina. This old Underwood typewriter emitting flames in the place of words is the same style as used by his uncle who was assassinated for the honesty of his political essays.

Behind Ashlynn you might be able to barely see that there is a work of art. Using no adhesives or hardware, the 10-by-16 foot screen titled Surface Tension by British environmental sculptor Andy Goldsworthy is a network of chestnut leaf stalks held together with hawthorn thorns. Rock Pools might look like giant cow patties, but is actually stones melted in a kiln.

Dad and Ann were especially drawn to this mixed media painting combining oil paint, clay, sand, straw and lead by German artist Anselm Kiefer.

A Lunar Eclipse in a Forest by Japanese sculptor Katsura Funakoshi was particularly creepy.

This was one of five sculptures as part of the Ugazi group by South African Deryck Healey.

While Ashlynn has said many times that she doesn’t like going to art museums, she was definitely mesmerized by several of the works in this fascinating gallery.

We were surprised to learn that this was not actually a photograph, but rather a photo-realistic painting called Johanna II by Swiss artist Franz Gertsch.