Vaillancourt Folk Art
"It's Hard To Tell When A Tradition Begins"
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| Private | |
| Industry | Manufacturing, Collectibles, Christmas, Luxury Goods |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Sutton, Massachusetts, USA |
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Area served
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North America and Eastern Europe |
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Key people
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Gary Vaillancourt, Judi Vaillancourt, Luke M. Vaillancourt |
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Number of employees
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20 |
| Divisions | 6 |
| Website | valfa.com |
Vaillancourt Folk Art (VFA) is a nationally recognized family owned and operated wholesale and retail business based in Sutton, Massachusetts that hand paints fine art quality chalkware collectibles. Judi Vaillancourt is credited with having developed the process used to create the first contemporary use of chalkware—incorporating a plaster-like substance with confectionery moulds—since the 20th century version.
The company initially was created as a store that sold a wide variety of holiday and Folk Art items, and operated as Vaillancourt Folk Art & Friends. The name was shortened to Vaillancourt Folk Art in 2007 when their headquarters relocated, and the company's emphasis re-focused to their own Chalkware and ornament line. The Vaillancourt Folk Art lines have since been carried in stores within major cities across the United States and Canada.
Beyond families holiday traditions, Vaillancourt Folk Art has become a staple in regional tourism. In 2009 VFA was chosen by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism as one of six behind-the-scenes places to visit and by The Great Places in Massachusetts Commission as one of the top 1,000 great places in Massachusetts to visit.
Gary Vaillancourt and wife Judi Vaillancourt founded Vaillancourt Folk Art in 1984 after had Gary given Judi three antique chocolate molds for Christmas. Judi (who, "first discovered her love for historic details from the time spent perusing antiques (growing up) at her neighbor's historic-tavern-turned-home in Sutton, MA"), a classical illustrator by trade, first poured these molds with chocolate, and later with beeswax, before developing her unique process to create a solid chalkware figures. Recognizing this as a 3-dimensional canvas, Judi began to use her oil painting skills to the new medium. During the first year Gary and Judi were asked to participate in a Folk Art Show by Chicago-based promoter, Judy Marks. Judi Vaillancourt, discovered by Marks from an article on Historical House Reproductions by Early American Life, decided to participate in the show with her original furniture, scherensnites, wooden Noah's Arks, oil paintings, and figurines. For the first show Judi had made several beeswax and one hand-painted chalkware Santa. The hand-painted figural sold for $25 ($50 with 2007 inflation) and the Vaillancourts had taken 25-30 orders.
In 1985 Gary left his position as President of Mitchell Management Systems to join Judi as they started what is now known as Vaillancourt Folk Art. That year, the Vaillancourts brought hired 15 employees to work within their house, pouring the products in their kitchen, paint in their dining room, and ship out of their bed room. By the end of 1985 they had converted their 18th century house's basement into a production studio and formed Vaillancourt Folk Art & Friends.
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Wikipedia