Vaillancourt Folk Art

Specialties

Vaillancourt Folk Art (VFA) is one of the last remaining «Made in America» Christmas studios. Founded in 1984, VFA has become a household name to collectors and Christmas enthusiasts around the world because of their highly detailed, hand-​painted, Chalkware figurines. From the largest private collection of vintage confectionary moulds dating as early as the mid-​1800s, the contemporary chalkware style – first developed by Judi Vaillancourt – pays homage to the early Victorian decorative art form and is completed in a small studio in Central Massachusetts. In addition to their popular chalkware designs, VFA has several other lines, including, mouth-​blown Polish glass ornaments, English Creamware, and a more contemporary Et Cetera line. Vaillancourt Folk Art is a family owned and operated business that is sold in over 500 stores around the nation (including Neiman Marcus, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Williamsburg), their retail studio in Sutton, MA, and through their web site valfa​.com.

History

Established in 1984.

When Gary Vaillancourt gave his wife, Judi, a gift of three antique chocolate molds in 1984, neither of them knew it would signal the start of a new family business of «made in America.» In the years since, Judi’s collection has grown to over 3,000 vintage molds — one of the largest collections in the world. She uses her molds to make hand-​painted collectible chalkware figures for all major holidays — especially Christmas.