Sometimes I catch myself daydreaming about diving into the chocolate river from Willy Wonka just to see what it would be like, and I ask myself, "Has my passion for chocolate gone too far?" Nah. If anything, sculptor Peter Anton's hyperrealistic food sculptures are proof that appreciating food is an art.
Peter's larger-than-life sculptures have been exhibited in art galleries and museums around the world, and his giant food art has been widely sought after by private collectors like Keith Richards and Bill Clinton. From enormous macarons and ice cream sandwiches to a huge slice of pizza and incredible candies of all shapes and colors, Peter's food art is like something straight out of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. And how did his food obsession begin? With chocolate, of course!
"I love the way food evokes special and unique memories and reminds people of the special times in their lives," Peter told POPSUGAR via email. A full-time artist from Connecticut, Peter has been busy creating these massive food sculptures for over 25 years. The artist said that he was inspired by a nightly routine of eating chocolate right before bed (same). "I was lying in bed enjoying the melting flavor and staring at a box of chocolates when I had my eureka moment," Peter said. "I thought this would make an amazing sculpture if I made it huge and realistic."
"At times, my studio is filled with dozens of wonderful real donuts, for instance, and the scent surrounds me as I sculpt — and then, of course, I eat them!"
The most interesting part of Peter's creative process? When he picks a food to focus on for his next sculpture, he goes all-in. "When I decide on a specific sweet or food I first like to read the history of it and learn all that I can about that food," Peter said. "Then I research how it's made. After that, I buy large quantities and study the details and come up with a method that satisfies my standards for realism. At times, my studio is filled with dozens of wonderful real donuts, for instance, and the scent surrounds me as I sculpt — and then, of course, I eat them!"
Each sculpture takes six to eight weeks to complete and includes a "tedious and time-consuming process with many steps and layers of materials." Materials for each project vary, and include wood, clay, resin, acrylics, plaster, and metal. Of all his food works, Peter said one of his absolute favorites is his sculpture of a box of chocolates because of chocolate's many shapes, textures, colors, flavors, and, "because chocolate is so important to me" — and we definitely agree.
Peter's work has prompted collectors to share their own personal history and memories regarding specific foods, making the creative experience even more worthwhile for the artist. As for why he chooses to sculpt giant works of food art, he said, "Food is a very important part of life. It is universal and the thing we all have in common. Food unites us all."
