In 2012, Dietrich painted this scene from his days working as a bartender at the Volcano House Hotel, located in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Among the many delightful details in the painting is Dietrich himself, wearing a red vest and framed in the doorway, reaching for a bottle of gin as Pele (a painting within a painting) reaches her hand out toward him.
You can learn more about Dietrich Varez by visiting his bio page here.
In this video, artist Dietrich Varez shares his experiences of the early days of Volcano House, and the inspiration behind his painting.
