Mario Ortiz

A Landpark, Sacramento native, Mario is a sommelier, wine director and a co-owner of the famous Firehouse Restaurant, an Old Sacramento Staple since 1960, as well as a painter. He paints in acrylic, watercolor, and enamel on large format wine bottles. Mario recently has started painting with wine, which creates stunning, richly colored works. Inspired by artists such as Maria Mucha, Andy Warhol, Leonardo daVinci, Thomas Kincade and Arvid, Mario has been painting for 25 years after studying art in high school and college. 

Mario's art is influenced by his clients' passion for wine, his love of the ocean, life stories, and his close relationships with loved ones. His art reflects passion, inspiring colors, and memories that connect to deep emotion. Mario has painted for Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Mike Tyson, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Francis Ford Coppola.

Mario is considered an "honorary Disney artist" by many of the licensed Disney Fine artists as he is a regular at Disney Fine Art events at Stage Nine, and a friend to many of the Disney artists, including Tom. This is his first time showing art in a gallery. His art is already very popular with our Panoply Fine Art collectors and it is rumored Mario will be teaching some painting with wine events here at the gallery very soon!