AND TURNS IT INTO SOMETHING EXTRA SPECIAL.
♪ SEAN: VAN GOG MANET, PICASSO?
FINE ART HAS NEVER LOOKED SO SWEET.
>> I’VE ALWAYS LOVED CHOCOLATE.
I DIDN’T KNOW I WOULD ACTUALLY WORK WITH IT AS A CAREER.
SEAN AFTER GRADUATING FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE INSTITUTE O ARTS, KATHERINE DONOVAN WENT TO WORK AT A CHOCOLATE BOUTIQUE.
I DISCOVERED CHOCOLATE AS AN ART FORM.
I STARTED WORKING WITH CHOCOLATE AND PAINTING WITH CHOCOLATE.
I STARTED PAINTING MASTER COPIES OF THE GREAT ARTISTS LIKE MONET AND VAN GOGH.
SEAN WITH A LITTLE COLOR COCOA BUTTER, A STEADY HAND, AND SOME SERIOUS SKILLS, CATHERINE IS ABLE TO TU CHOCOLATES INTO MASTERPIECES.
>> I CAN PAINT ON ANY SIZE OR SHAPE.
SEAN: HER WORK STARTS LONG BEFORE SHE PICKS UP A BRUSH.
SHE ALSO HAND TEMPERS AN MOLDS EVERY PIECE OF CHOCOLATE.
>> I LIKE TO PAI ON A REALLY NICE DARK CHOCOLATE.
BUT I CAN PAINT ON ANY KIND OF CHOCOLATE.
SEAN: CATHERINE IS THE ARTIST IN RESIDENCE AT LA CASCADE DU CHOCOLAT IN DOWNTOWN EXETER.
HE STUDIO, A KITCHEN BEHIND GLASS, SO ANYONE WHO WONDER IN CAN WATCH HER WORK.
>> MOST PEOPLE LOOK AT HER WORK AND SAY, WHO COULD POSSIBLY EAT THAT?
SAY PART OF THE EXPERIENCE IS THAT THE CHOCOLATE IS SO DELICIOUS THAT YOU CAN ALSO EAT IT.
>> HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN SAY THAT THEY ATE A VAN GOGH OR PICASSO?
SEAN SHE ALSO DOES COMMISSIONS.
IF YOU HAVE A FAVORITE WORK OF ART, CATHERINE C PROBABLY PAINTED ON CHOCOLATE.
PEOPLE WANT, INSTEAD OF A KICK, BONBON PIECES, AND THEY CAN USE THAT AS A PARTY FAVOR.
SEAN: WHEN SHE’S NOT PAINTING ON CHOCOLATE, CATHERINE PAINTS ON A TRADITIONAL CANVAS.
HER PALETTE, O PAINTSINSTEAD OF COCOA BUTTER.
>> IT IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT I USUALLY WOULD PAINT.
I JUST GRAVITATED TOWARDS PAINTING WITH IMPRESSIONIST STYLE.
SEAN: EACH PIECE KATHERINE COMPLETES IS A MOUTHWATERING WORK OF ART.
THE BIGGEST REWARD FOR HER -- >> SEEING SOMEBODY EAT MY PIECE.
THAT IS PRETTY AWESOME.
THERE’S NOWHER ELSE THAT YOU CAN GET SOMETHING LIKE THIS, SOMETHING UNIQUE AND INTERESTING AS A SPECIAL OCCASION GIFT OR HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
SOMETHING NO O ELSE COULD HAVE EVER GIVEN YOU.
♪ SEAN FROM A CHOCOLATE CANVAS TO A COOKIE CANVA DANIELLE OF THE WICKED SWEET SHOOK HER BOUTIQUE HAMPTON USES HER PIPING BAGS LIKE PAINT BRUSHES.
THINGS SHOULDN’T JUST LOOK GOOD.
THEY SHOULD ALSO TASTE GOOD.
ESPECIALLY IF IT IS A FOOD PRODUCT.
BUT I TRY TO MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK ARTSY AND FUN AND PROFESSIONAL.
SEAN COOKIE ART HAS BECOME A BIT OF A FAD WITH DOZENS OF INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS, YOUTUBE CHANNELS, EVEN A COOKIE CON DEDICATED TO MAKING THE ORDINARY EXTRAORDINARY.
>> THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE GOING INTO IT.
THERE’S LOTS OF FUN TOOLS AND GADGETS THAT EXIST NOW.
SEAN DANIELLE HAS BEEN PRACTICING THE ART FOR YEARS AND AGREED TO LET US IN ON SOME OF HER SECRETS.
>> FOR DECORATING COOKIES, YOU’VE GOT TWO CONSISTENCIES OF FROSTING.
THERE IS PIPIN FROSTING, WHICH IS WHAT YOU OUTLINE THINGS WITH, AND A WATERED-DOWN VERSION OF THAT SAME RECIPE.
I LOVE COOKIES THAT I CAN PAINT.
THEY ARE FUN WHEN IT IS SIMPLE PIPING LIKE CUPCAKES, BUT IT IS ALSO FUN WHEN YOU CAN PAINT WITH THEM.
SEAN: IN THE KITCHEN, STACKS OF COOKIE CUTTERS.
AN DANIELLE’S PORTFOLIO, YOU NAME IT, SHE’S PROBAB PUT ICING ON IT.
YES, THEY ARE LITTLE WORKS OF ART.
ANYTHING WITH BAKING, CONSISTENCIES ARE KEY, GETTIN THE RIGHT COLORS, HOW TO MAKE THE APPROPRIATE COLOR.
SMALL DETAILS LIKE THAT THAT YOU DON’T THINK OF UNTIL YOU SUBMERGE YOURSELF INTO IT.
SEAN: SHE ALSO STAY UP WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY, LIKE THIS PROJECTOR THAT ALLOWS HER TO COPY AN IMAGE ONTO A COOKIE.
>> SOCIAL MEDIA IS HUGE IN THE BAKING WORLD.
EVERYBODY GETS IDEAS OFF OF EVERYBODY ELSE.
SEAN: WITH ALL TH TECHNIQUE THAT GOES INTO EACH COOKIE, IT IS EASY FORGET THAT UNDER ALL THAT ICING IS STILL A DELICIOUS SUGAR COOKIE.
SEAN: -- I PREFER COOKIES TO BE A LITTLE UNDER BAKED.
I TRY TO UNDERCUT THEM A LITTLE BIT.
THE FROSTING HAS JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SNAP TO IT.
ONCE THESE DRY, I LIKE TO GO BACK AND ACCENT WITH LITTLE SKETCH MARKS, ALMOST MAKE THEM LOOK LIKE LITTLE PAINTINGS.