Jesse Tombs and Christina McNeill brought together 45 industry leaders for a springtime dinner at Promontory, with a vision that felt wild, expressive and full of the bursting energy of the season. During a site visit, I was struck by a black-and-white photograph of the surrounding land. Its abstract forms seemed to connect the landscape of Promontory with the expressive energy in Jesse’s references, and became my way into the design.

I wanted the process itself to have some of the spontaneity and unpredictability I saw in Jesse’s references. I began experimenting with monoprinting, making marks directly onto plexiglass plates and sending them through the press without knowing exactly what would emerge. I painted back into the prints with watercolor and drew over them in pen, gradually building the artwork that became the pocket envelope. The result referenced Promontory without relying on the expected vineyard imagery, while capturing something of the wildness we wanted the evening to have.

For the menus, I returned to monoprinting but allowed the technique to evolve. This time, actual pressed flowers became part of the printing process, leaving behind abstract impressions that shifted through layers of ink.

There was no predetermined destination for this project. The process was one of experimentation and discovery, and ultimately that became my greatest takeaway from Jesse’s original vision: make room for the unexpected and see where it leads.

A spring dinner at Promontory

Promontory
napa, california

Promontory //napa california

Jesse Tombs and Christina McNeill brought together 45 industry leaders for a springtime dinner at Promontory, with a vision that felt wild, expressive and full of the bursting energy of the season. During a site visit, I was struck by a black-and-white photograph of the surrounding land. Its abstract forms seemed to connect the landscape of Promontory with the expressive energy in Jesse’s references, and became my way into the design.

I wanted the process itself to have some of the spontaneity and unpredictability I saw in Jesse’s references. I began experimenting with monoprinting, making marks directly onto plexiglass plates and sending them through the press without knowing exactly what would emerge. I painted back into the prints with watercolor and drew over them in pen, gradually building the artwork that became the pocket envelope. The result referenced Promontory without relying on the expected vineyard imagery, while capturing something of the wildness we wanted the evening to have.

For the menus, I returned to monoprinting but allowed the technique to evolve. This time, actual pressed flowers became part of the printing process, leaving behind abstract impressions that shifted through layers of ink.

There was no predetermined destination for this project. The process was one of experimentation and discovery, and ultimately that became my greatest takeaway from Jesse’s original vision: make room for the unexpected and see where it leads.

Creative Partners

Planning: Jesse Tombs 
Photography: Christina McNeill
Catering: The Charter Oak
Venue & Wine: Promontory Wine
Rentals: Found Rental Co./The Arc
Paper: Elsa Madeline Design
Florals: Rachel Riser
 Entertainment:Dart Collective
Hotel: Meadowood Napa Valley 
Transportation: Gateway Global

Event Planning & Design: Jesse Tombs // Photography: Christina McNeill // Floral Design: Rachel Riser
Custom Furniture + Decor: Found Rental Co // Paper & Branding: Elsa Madeline Design // Specialty Tabletop: The Ark
Catering: The Charter Oak // Venue & Wine: Promontory wine // Transportation: Gateway Global
Hotel: Meadowood Napa Valley // Entertainment: Dart Collective