Chocolate Show at TAC

Our Jurored Art Exhibition...

Chocolate Show Online Gallery!

 Reception:  ​CHOCOLATE Reception Sunday, August 22nd, 2pm – 4pm
The Art Center Cooperative, Inc will be hosting the reception both at the San Marco Gallery and online.  The exhibition will be highlighted on our website with both an online gallery and an exhibition store with all artwork available for online purchase.  At 2:30 pm there will be a live feed on our Facebook page previewing all of the artwork included in the show as well as the Featured Guest Artist Marsha Hatcher.  Scroll through all the entries and then move down this page to find out about the winning pieces and what the judge had to say about each one.

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About the Exhibit

THEME: Chocolate has been deemed good for you. Chocolate is bad for you. Chocolate melts in your mouth. Chocolate clings to your hips…now you can have fun and develop images for the exhibition Chocolate … no calories involved. Chocolate is famous as Christmas gifts, Valentine expressions and Easter celebration as well as being popular for anniversaries and birthdays. Box up your best ideas and share your images for this fun event!  

​Juror: Suzy McGrath , Chocolatier 
 
Owner of Windy Hill Chocolate, where each chocolate is a story, crafted with love, perhaps with tiny imperfections, meant to enjoy alone or with others. I love watching people at a party, slowly untying the ribbon, searching the box to choose a favorite. Too many choices!  How can they choose?  Sometimes they will cut them in half or into quarters…a taste of each for everyone!  My heart beats faster! I peek as they take their first bite, watching to see how it is received.  Was it what they expected?  Are they surprised when the chocolate offers more than they anticipated?  Will they continue to experience the depth of flavors and nuances, or take it as one note and move on? The party grows louder, as comments and critiques are aired.  There is laughter and joy in this moment.  We have come together to share an experience.  Everyone is welcome; Come, eat, enjoy, share! 
To each of you, thank you for sharing YOUR expression of chocolate, for allowing me to feel the joy of your creation.  I am honored that you have invited me to experience your interpretation of the complex and delicious world of chocolate.

The Winners Are!

First Place: Corey Moortgat ”Death by Chocolate” 
Judges Comments: Chocolate is present at occasions of celebration and sorrow in our lives, from a gift given when we present a newborn to the world to the last food often desired as we leave this world for the next.  Exploding with emotion, I love the color, the focus, the way the eyes draw me in to look deeper, to discover what she is feeling and to wonder…did the smear of chocolate give her comfort in this place?
Find out more about the piece by Clicking Here...

​Second Place: Ed Malesky “Chocolate Drops”   
Judges Comments; Chocolate in its purest form, drop by drop, melding into a deep and delicious puddle!  I love the color and balance.  Creamy, rich, decadent.  Soothing, sultry, satisfying.  Yes, I can feel it, smell it AND taste it.  As always, I am hypnotized.

For more information about this piece Click Here...

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Third Place: Leila Griffith “Cacao Garden” 
Judges Comments: Cocoa trees, hidden beneath the banana, coconut and rubber trees, thrive in tropical habitats along the equator.  I first saw this painting sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. I loved its simple depiction of the production of cacao but it seemed flat.  However, when it was lifted into the light and hung on the wall, its depth and detail was revealed.  I saw this forest come alive, the lush colors led me into this protected space, and I fell in love with the lonely cacao farmer.
To find out more about this piece Click Here...

Honorable Mention: Laurence Walden “Chocolate Love at First Bite”
Judges Comments: Not gonna lie, he looks like he would be fun to hang out with!  And, he digs chocolate!  While the Mayan’s use of chocolate is quite different from the ways we enjoy it today, I bow to this God of Chocolate!  I love the whimsy of his glorious metal mask combined with all the ways we love to indulge today.  It is a wonderful, fun, & modern representation of the evolution of chocolate. 

To find out more about this piece Click Here...

To find out more about this piece click here...