An acclaimed organic winery in the Napa Valley now is graced by a ceramic mural that showcases biodiversity and its importance to vineyards. Entomology faculty members Emily Meineke, an EERREC mentor and Early Career Fellow of the Ecological Society of America, and Distinguished Professor Diane Ullman collaborated with winemakers Steve and Jill Matthiasson to create the mural, with individual components handcrafted by UC Davis students and community members from Napa and Davis. 

UC Davis regulars know Ullman's other works completed as part of the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Project. But they may not realize that Meineke is an artist in her own right.

An ode to biodiversity, this ceramic mosaic mural reflects the ecosystem within and around an organic vineyard. Imagery centers on a Cabernet Sauvignon vine from its first bud to harvest time. The artwork tells the story of how insects, spiders, centipedes, snakes, birds, mammals and soil organisms interact to create a sustainable growing system and environment. -- Emily Meineke

Meineke's faculty web page describes the creation process, including images from design and construction.