Art that's good enough to eat (From South Wales Argus)

Art that's good enough to eat

3:15pm Tuesday 18th November 2008 in Search

Visitors to Wales’s first chocolate art gallery can feast their eyes on these edible works of art.

Cwmbran-based Harper’s Luxury Gifts have produced a life-size torso, portraits on easels, candy blossom trees and bouquets for the exhibition, all made from chocolate or candy.

The company, which specialises in handmade chocolate bouquets, have made more than 30 different exhibits for the gallery, which will be staged next week at St David’s Hall in Cardiff.

Each artefact is handmade and individually designed, and owners Bernadette and Dawn Harper have been working on the models for weeks ahead of the gallery opening.

Bernadette Harper, from Llanfrechfa, started the business after being inspired by colourful candyfloss and sweets at a funfair in Tenby.

She said: “I couldn’t get this beautiful image out of my head. I searched the internet and found the industry is massive in America but little known in the UK, so we wanted to be the ones to bring it over.”

She previously worked as a health and social care facilitator but was always passionate about art, and teamed up with her sister-in-law Dawn Harper to launch the business earlier this year.

In June Harper’s Luxury Gifts received a highly commended gift accolade at the Gift Association Summer Fair in London and now Mrs Harper is keen to expand the business across the UK.

She added: “This is our own exhibition of our own creations so it’s a way of showing what we can do and how we do it.”

The exhibition is open on November 26 and 27.