Since his first visit to Napa Valley in 1997, Arvid has had a steady presence there and considers the valley his “home away from home.” Much of his life in Napa is centered around Mama (Suzanne) Salvestrin. After many mornings and lazy afternoons loitering in the kitchen with Mama while she baked goods to raise money for the St. Helena Historical Society, Arvid suggested there could be a more expedient way to raise funds. So together, they cooked up an idea: Arvid could gather his artist friends, and using images from the Historical Society archives, they could create paintings based on them and thus bring history back to life. The final creations could be auctioned to benefit the society. Hence the annual gala fundraiser, “History Becomes Art,” was born. All proceeds from the sale of the original “Making History” benefited the Historical Society, and the painting graces the walls of a custom home overlooking the vineyards of Napa, perfectly set amidst the beautiful valley that it so proudly commemorates.