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Artist runs out of paint for project and has a brush with Hershey's Syrup
By Lisa Abraham
Akron Beacon Journal
Published on Sunday, Sep 30, 2007
Unfortunately, by the time Daniel Coffield finally got to work on it, he realized he didn't have enough paint.
And it was too late in the evening to hit the hobby store for supplies.
After freaking out a bit, Coffield thought about the advice of his art teacher at Stow-Munroe Falls High School.
Robert Putka always encouraged his students to work with different mediums to not be afraid to try something new, something different.
Coffield figured he'd try to find something around the house.
First, he tried mud.
Too clumpy.
Then mustard.
Too messy and way too stinky.
Then he happened upon a squeeze bottle of Hershey's Syrup in the refrigerator. It turned out Putka was right about trying new mediums.
The syrup experiment worked better than Coffield could have hoped, and he aced his final. More importantly, his art form was born.
Life is sweet
Six years later, Coffield, now 25 and an art student at the University of Akron, is fast gaining a reputation as ''the Hershey's Syrup artist.''
He had his first showing of syrup creations in August at the University Park Art Fair in Grace Park. To his surprise and amazement, he sold every one.
The paintings are landscapes chocolate brown on canvas of nature scenes with trees. Coffield said the syrup has turned out to be great to work with because as it dries, it forms a good surface for layering.
''It kind of finds its own way. . . . It flows, but it stays where you want it to,'' he said.
For a college student working on a tight budget, Hershey's Syrup has another distinct advantage over paint it's a lot cheaper. He can produce eight or more works with one bottle of syrup.
Coffield recently switched to Hershey's Special Dark Syrup. He hasn't tried the company's Dulce de Leche, a caramel syrup, or the strawberry flavor, but he's not ruling them out.
Life hasn't always been sweet as syrup for Coffield.
Fading dreams
In 1999, while still in high school, he was diagnosed with a severe case of a degenerative eye disease known as keratoconus. Over the next several years, his sight worsened.
By the end of 2001, Coffield was blind in his left eye. The disease was affecting his right eye as well, although not as severely. But his vision had failed to the point where he was having trouble performing everyday tasks.
Losing his sight also meant watching his artistic dreams fade away.
''It was really frustrating for me. . . . I hate to say I was depressed, but it was a time of depression for me,'' Coffield said.
He'd been involved with art since he was a child and the thought of not being able to continue was crushing. ''It's what I like to do. It's what I want to do. . . . It was definitely a struggle.''
Coffield switched his major to classical studies. Doctors weren't sure what would happen to his eyesight, and he believed he had to consider some type of fallback pursuit.
Things changed dramatically in August 2006, when Coffield received a corneal transplant in his left eye. With his sight restored, Coffield's vision for his future improved as well.
Now a junior at UA, he's pursuing a dual degree in fine art and classical studies.
But it's clear that Coffield's true love is painting. While he still works with acrylics and other paints, he is excited that Hershey's Syrup gives him a unique medium.
''It's an amazing feeling because as an artist, you're always trying to find something that is your own,'' he said.
Coffield and his younger brother, who is an art major at Kent State University, have done some research into other artists but haven't found any who work with Hershey's Syrup.
There are plenty of chocolate artists, both in the art world and in the culinary community, but none that Coffield has been able to find who work strictly in chocolate syrup.
Each finished work gets a protective coating of a polyurethane-resin mix and a spray-on UV protectant to prevent sun damage.
The chocolate smell fades over time, but so far the Hershey's Syrup shows no signs of decay.
Funny thing is, Coffield doesn't even like chocolate.
Lisa A. Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or labraham@thebeaconjournal.com.
Get the full article here.
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