artist in residence

A to Z Wineworks, located at their REX HILL property in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, seeks an Artist in Residence for a term beginning in Fall 2024 with a harvest experience and ending in Fall 2025 as the 2024 vintage is bottled.

The A to Z Artist in Residence program is an immersion in the seasonal life of a winery, observing and participating in the art of winemaking. The artist follows the natural cycle of a vintage, first working a harvest, then remaining involved in the life of the winery while working on their own individual art as the wine moves from grapes to glass. The Artist in Residence initially works the 2024 vintage harvest as a paid intern alongside our seasonal harvest crew and year-round winemaking and production staff. Following the conclusion of harvest, the Artist in Residence receives support from A to Z and access to staff and properties for a period of artistic reflection and creation followed by a second partial harvest experience. The residency concludes with a public showcase of some of the artist’s work through a gallery showing, lecture, reading or performance.

About the Harvest Internship:

At A to Z Wineworks, harvest is intense and filled with opportunity as fruit arrives from around the state – primarily Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay, plus a cross-section of other varieties. This diversity of fruit comes from our LIVE-certified and Biodynamically farmed estate vineyards as well as from conventionally farmed locations across many different Oregon AVAs (American Viticultural Areas). The vineyard sizes range from several hundred acres to very small sites.

This paid internship position typically runs from mid-August through early November, depending on the season. We value interns who share in our company culture of working hard, working smart, and learning together. Our interns work with a team that has earned the most years of collective winemaking experience in Oregon, as well as experience that stretches from Burgundy to New Zealand. Our winemakers approach winemaking from different perspectives and they are willing to share what they know.

The internship presents a unique opportunity to learn more about winemaking on different production scales and with different stylistic goals. It provides a diverse work experience, including but not limited to, grape receival, sorting, pressing, punch downs, tank dig-outs, racking, transfers, barrel work, inoculations, wine movements, juice, must and wine additions, driving a forklift and, always, cleaning.

Harvest interns work a demanding schedule, which will almost certainly include long hours, overtime, and weekend work. The role requires the ability to stand and move for at least ten hours; to lift, bend, rotate, move, and carry up to 45 pounds over the course of the shift and on a repetitive basis, and to climb stairs, ladders and work on catwalks. We expect people to work well within a team environment and work with individuals in a respectful manner that is consistent with the company’s values.

About the Residency:

Following the conclusion of the harvest, the art residency commences extending through fall 2025.

Location:

The Artist in Residence will primarily work at the REX HILL property in the Willamette Valley. The artist will have access to the winery, vineyards and staff throughout the course of the residency.

Disciplines, work equipment and assistance: We are open to proposals from artists, writers and poets across all mediums and disciplines. To learn more about our current and past residents, visit our website at https://atozwineworks.com/our-company/artist-in-residence/

Expectations of the Artist:

A to Z Wineworks supports people, places, and culture. It seems especially important now to support the liberal arts that help to find ways of expanding limited vision and engaging with diverse, thoughtful perspectives that might help us grow as human beings. The artist will be expected to engage with the staff and contribute to the culture of the winery through interactions and presentations, including providing materials to feature in regular internal communications. The artist will engage with the community at the end of the residency through a public showcase of some of the year’s work in a gallery showing, lecture, reading or performance.