NEWBERG, Ore.—The formerly blank wall outside Crush2Cellar, facing OR Highway 99W westbound, is now a painted celebration of the Willamette Valley’s commitment to sustainability, as muralist Dede Chiloiro completed her final brush strokes last week.
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The mural, titled “Vines of Renewal,” was facilitated by the LIVE Certification Program and funded by the Ribbon Ridge Winegrowers Association (RRWA). It was created by Swiss muralist and designer Salomée Souag and completed by Chiloiro, a Portland-based artist. Miller Paint and Color Atelier donated paint for the mural, which was completed on October 17, 2024.
“[The mural] celebrates sustainability and the significant role that our local wine industry is playing in conserving natural resources, restoring native plant and animal life, breathing life into our soil, and raising the bar for worker well-being,” declared the LIVE Certification program website.
The LIVE Certification Program is a Willamette Valley-based third-party certification organization founded in 1999 to promote and monitor sustainable agricultural practices in the wine industry serving Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The program has over 350 members committed to growing grapes while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, maintaining biodiversity, ensuring rights for workers, promoting soil health, limiting pesticide use, and conserving natural resources.
“Our vision with this mural is to present a non-branded public art piece that will raise awareness and act as a gift to the community that has participated in the sustainable winegrowing movement for the past 25 years,” said LIVE Executive Director Chris Serra in a press release. “We hope this art serves as a joyful reminder to those who drive by of how special the wine industry is to the Pacific Northwest.”
The mural is one of several planned for completion across the Willamette Valley to create a mural trail, ideally using another Souag design to establish a central identity. However, the organization said it needs to secure funding before proceeding with planning and executing the future murals.
Read more about the LIVE Certification program on its website, and learn about the muralists on theirs (Salomée Souag and Dede Chiloiro).
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