Updated Oct. 15
“In most places, people associate chocolate with Valentine’s Day,” says Ann Smith, Featherstone director. “On the Vineyard, when people think of Columbus Day, they think of chocolate.”
That’s because for the past 12 years, the Oak Bluffs arts campus has been providing a sweet sendoff to summer with its annual Art of Chocolate Festival. For two days last weekend, Featherstone’s Virginia Weston Besse Gallery was a literal chocolate lover’s paradise. Thanks to dozens of donors, the space was filled from wall to wall with every imaginable use for the cocoa bean. In one corner, a sundae bar offered ice cream topped with Chilmark Chocolate hot fudge. Across the way, a chocolate fountain was kept stocked for dipping with items such as fruit, marshmallows, pretzels and more.
Around the perimeter, one could find tables laden with cakes, cookies, candies, etc. — transforming the gallery into a cocoa-colored Willy Wonka fantasy scene. The dilemma — choosing which treats to indulge in. Visitors had the option of paying $5 for two tastes or $10 for five. Among the options were candies from local chocolatiers Chilmark Chocolates, Murdick’s Fudge, and Enchanted Chocolates, outrageously fudgy brownies from Mocha Mott’s, and many more delectable bites.
A number of Featherstone artists and teachers contributed to the bounty as well. Kate Hancock provided a chocolate cheesecake. Judy Mueller, Marston Clough, and Nancy Blank donated their usual festival favorites — chocolate crinkles, truffles, and peanut butter buckeyes, respectively. Artist Pam Flam contributed gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. Susan Pierce, whose grandkids who were once students of Ms. Lani’s art classes at Featherstone, has been baking for the festival for a number of years. This time around, she experimented with a batch of brownies made with Guinness stout. “People seem to like things with alcohol,” she said.
That theory also might explain the continuing popularity of ceramicist Washington Ledesma’s rum-saturated “drunken cake.”
According to Ms. Smith, one of the most sampled items this year was a unique concoction whipped up by Travis Richards of Sharky’s. His contribution, ancho chili chocolate brownies with dark chocolate ganache and dark cherry sauce topped with a candied jalapeño, was as decadently delicious as one might imagine — with a little kick of an aftertaste from the unusual garnish.
The only thing missing this year was the maestro of chocolate himself, co-founder of the festival Malcolm Campbell, who passed away last December. “This was the first year without Malcolm,” says Ms. Smith. “We’ve dedicated the festival to him.”
In Mr. Campbell’s honor, his chocolate-smeared white lab coat hung on the entryway wall, greeting the multitudes who stopped in for a chocolate fix. The late chocolatier always made a point of attending the festival to share with visitors his vast knowledge of the chocolate business. Mr. Campbell enjoyed a long career with the former Van Leer Chocolate Co. of Jersey City. The business was owned by Mr. Campbell’s wife Jeanne, who was not only on hand for this year’s festival, but also provided an interesting exhibit of artifacts from her family business.
“We decided not to have the chocolate preview party this year, to honor Malcolm,” says Ms. Smith. “It somehow didn’t seem right to be toasting with chocolate martinis, considering our loss.”
However, the tradition will no doubt continue in years to come, and this weekend’s turnout was an impressive one. Featherstone estimates that over one thousand people turned out over the two day event.
The festival marks the official kickoff of the Featherstone fall and winter season, and a centerpiece to the Arts Martha’s Vineyard Fall for the Arts initiative. Featherstone operates all year, offering workshops, classes, studio sessions, and more to art hungry students and visitors. It hosts a new group show every two to three weeks. Next up on the gallery schedule is a show called Dreams and Nightmares. Artists all over the Island have been invited to contribute work appropriate to the theme. A huge semi-abstract canvas by Billie Sullivan will hang outside on the porch. Other artists who will participate include Margaret Emerson, Ed Schulman, and Daisy Lifton. The theme will no doubt inspire a number of other locals to stretch the boundaries of their artistic imaginations.
From Nov. 8 through 18, Featherstone will unveil a selection of submissions from the Island Faces Portrait Contest. The winners of the juried contest have been on display at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum since September. Featherstone will exhibit the winners of the People’s Choice Awards — the favorites selected via online voting.
Featherstone’s year will finish up with the 13th annual Holiday Gift Show, which will take place from Nov. 20 to Dec. 20. Every year artists and artisans from all over the Island exhibit gifts and original art and photography, for sale at gift-giving-friendly prices.
For additional information on happenings at Featherstone, visit featherstoneart.org.
