When Gary Vaillancourt gave his wife, Judi, a gift of three antique chocolate molds in 1984, neither of them knew it would signal the start of a new family business. In the years since, Judi’s collection has grown to about 10,000 vintage molds — one of the largest collections in the world. She uses her molds to make hand-painted collectible chalkware figures for all major holidays — especially Christmas.
Today, Vaillancourt Folk Art (VFA) is one of America’s last remaining Christmas ornament and collectibles makers. Unlike most Christmas collectibles, which are manufactured overseas, Vaillancourt chalkware figures are still made by hand at the VFA studio in Sutton, Massachusetts. Visitors can tour behind-the-scenes as artists hand-paint different variations of chalkware Santas, Father Christmas, Belsnickles, and non-Christmas figurines.
While the mold-makers’ palette had been limited—quite literally—to chocolate brown, but by painting the figurines, Judi had unlocked the mold-makers’ intricate artistry, bringing it to life as never before. Particularly compelling are the eyes on the faces of each figure, which display a richness of emotion completely hidden when the pieces were molded in chocolate.
Captivated by the nostalgic charm of these Victorian-era chalkware figurines, collectors began snapping them up as fast as they could be painted and a unique new business was launched. VFA products are available in gift stores nationally, by calling toll-free 877-665-2244 or by ordering through our catalog.
Read about The Birth of Contemporary Chalkware.
