‘Art of Chocolate’ brings sweets to museum

Painting a live model with chocolate is just part of a fundraising event Sunday at the IU Art Museum – a sweeter approach to artistically presenting the human form.

“The Art of Chocolate,” part of the Week of Chocolate, features art, music, a silent auction, drinks and chocolate donated from local businesses.

Joanna Davis, IU Art Museum’s special events manager, said the event calls for business-casual attire, with proceeds given to Options, an agency that assists those with disabilities.

“People should expect a lot of really good chocolate,” Davis said. “More chocolate than they can handle.”

Restaurants including Bloomingfoods, Truffles, Finch’s Brasserie and BLU Boy Chocolate will bring chocolate treats and drinks for the evening.

Prizes from the silent auction include IU basketball tickets, a four-day vacation and a Grant Street Inn gift certificate.

BLU Boy Chocolate owner David Fletcher, who will serve several flavors of liquid drinking chocolates, said he came up with the idea of a live chocolate model for the event three years ago.

“When you work with chocolate on a large scale like we do, the nature of chocolate changes,” Fletcher said. “It’s such a familiar thing and we start to use it as an artistic medium.”

During Sunday’s event, an artist will paint a man in chocolate and draw designs on him.

Davis said the museum puts the model on the second floor of the gallery because once people see him, they stop to look, clogging the walkways.

Fletcher agreed that most of the viewers are surprised to see a chocolate-covered man in the art gallery.

“I think people understand that it’s an opportunity to change the way people look at chocolate and the human form,” he said.

The Andy Cobine Trio will provide music for the occasion, and the museum’s three permanent galleries and Angles Cafe & Gift Shop will remain open late for tours.
This is the fifth year the art museum has put on “Art of Chocolate.”

The operation began when Options approached the art museum about having the event to show off local chefs’ talents with chocolate, Options employee Susan Rinne said.

Last year, the event sold out with 200 attendees, and Rinne said this year Options expects to have about the same number of people.

Options sponsors “Art of Chocolate” to help raise money for their services. Rinne said last year the event raised $15,000, and this year the agency hopes to reach $25,000.
Most of the money will go toward respite services to families with disabled children and adults, she said.

“We come in and help them,” said Karen Scherer, Options development director. “We relieve them of some of their duties of taking care of family members.”

Money raised at “Art of Chocolate” also goes toward Options’ programs to help people with disabilities find employment and to help those on the waiting list for state-funded care, Scherer said.

“It’s helping people with disabilities connect with the community,” she said.