IAM: Artists and Foodists Part One

we are talking to ...

Elizabeth Garber and Nancy Bain from The Best Chocolate in Town

mindy and i have eaten best chocolates in town for the last 5 years i would say.  damn near every time we go to indy, we stop at their chocolate shop.  you can usually smell them from outside as you walk up to the door of their shop on 880 mass ave.  and today is no different.  the little chocolate jewels snug in their cases. chocolate covered pretzels. buttery toffee. turtles and caramels. you can smell them all when you walk up.  they have an assortment of their main menu of truffles and will have a long line of customers when the market opens today.  but they'll be worth the wait. Check out their Facebook and Twitter pages.

you can also buy their chocolates from the following places.

Marcy Neiditz

we first saw marcy's work at a ceramics show at Amaco/Brent Galleries in Indy.  Her teapots were in an all woman potters show that featured several artists who we know and some we didn't.  Mindy and I had found her teapots and cups to be the most interesting work in the gallery.  we admired her work last year at the artisan marketplace, are always glad to check out her new work.  she showed me a sketch on her iPad that became a teapot.  i love that she sketches and turns out what she maps out.

you can see more of Marcy's work at her website or read more about her here.

Rick Greiner

rick the pearman, as he's known to most on the indy art scene.  we met him last year at this show and he's one of our favorite people at the show to talk to.  he's funny and candid and too cool to bother with social media. we thought he'd have some great answers (and he definitely did!).

read more about Rick here.






What’s your least favorite customer question?
Marcy: Can you make it in blue?

Elizabeth and Nancy: How do you stay so thin?

Rick: What do you do with it?


Do you work in any other media besides what you have here today?

Marcy: Mostly work in clay. Sometimes less functional pottery and more sculptural object. Occasionally mixed media.....clay and mixed media sculptures.

Elizabeth and Nancy: Painting, drawing, textiles … but chocolate is our main medium.

Rick: Life; getting through each day.

If you could write a recipe for your artwork, what would the ingredient list read like?

Marcy: Sound mind, good health, creative energy, clay, glaze

Elizabeth and Nancy: Sorry, our recipes are top secret :)

Rick: Dirty body, dirty clothes, sweat and tears.


What are your thoughts on “art” vs. “product”? What about “craft” vs. “art”?

Marcy: good art has to make me want to think and feel.  Good craft = good craftsmanship.  If it makes me think and feel then it's also good art.  Isn't anything for sale a product.  If it makes me think and feel then it's also good art.

Elizabeth and Nancy: There is an art to creating my product. I think of high technical skill or craftsmanship with the word “craft.” “Art” is a very versatile word and can be a noun, verb, or adjective and can signify too many themes to answer here.

Rick: All art is product, whether it’s Van Gogh or pears. It’s all product or degrees of money.

How do you deal with artist block (like writer’s block)?

Marcy: sketch, look at other art other media, go outside....nature always inspires me..so does science and biology, so I pull out my microscope and look at things under it.

Elizabeth and Nancy: Eat chocolate, browse through magazines for inspiration.

Rick: Get stoned.

What do you do to past time in your booth?

Marcy: My new toy....iPad is a big help and my favorite new app, Drawcast. 

Elizabeth and Nancy: Eat chocolate. Brainstorm new flavor combinations. Plan for the holidays.

Rick: Crossword puzzles, eating, and watching men.

Thank you Elizabeth, Nancy, Marcy and Rick. We have more interviews and posts lined up for today. Keep checking back!