THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 23, 1995 TAG: 9502230336
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT LITTLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
They say Lafayette cried when the towering marble statue of George Washington was unveiled in the Capitol Rotunda in 1788.
``So it's so appropriate,'' said Virginia first lady Susan Allen, standing beneath the Capitol dome Wednesday, ``that this unveiling be held here.''
And with that, she whipped the black satin drape off the latest George Washington likeness to grace the hallowed halls. The medium: jelly beans.
Gourmet Jelly Belly jelly beans, to be exact. Ten thousand of them.
No one cried.
Allen's 3-year-old son, Forrest, did plant a tongue on the former president's blueberry lapel, though.
The jelly bean George, unveiled in honor of the first president's real birthday, was the work of San Francisco artist Peter Rocha, who prefers to create with candy.
(He was ``entranced by the brilliant colors,'' the jelly bean people said).
The artist first paints a sketch, then affixes the beans. The perfect flesh-colored jelly bean is apparently not available, but otherwise Rocha's portraits are remarkable reproductions.
Rocha has made dozens of Jelly Belly portraits - Washington, Lincoln, Laurel, Hardy - many of which tour the country. They are displayed in candy stores, malls and 18th century landmarks all over.
Margaret Thatcher ran into her portrait at a shop in Maryland recently.
Elvis - the second Elvis, actually; the first one fell apart - recently debuted in Memphis.
``He's made so many,'' said Patricia Collins, area sales manager for Goelitz Confectionery Co., which makes Jelly Belly jelly beans.
``There's Ronald Reagan, the bald eagle, the Spirit of '76 . . . ''
``O.J.'' added a man from Wythe-Will Distributing, the state's supplier of Jelly Bellies.
``I was just kidding,'' he quickly added.
``Seriously. I was kidding. That was a joke.''
Hampton Roads residents can see old George in jelly at Williamsburg's Wythe Candy Shop for the next two weeks. The portrait stayed only about an hour in the Capitol, before they packed him in brown tape and cardboard and wheeled him into history.
After Wednesday's unveiling, Gov. George Allen spotted the 40-flavored forefather from the third-floor balcony. He paused and leaned over.
``Hey, is that made out of jelly beans?'' he queried.
Yup. Lots.
``Where are the jelly beans made?'' he shot back.
Ouch. Well, California and Illinois.
The governor's face soured.
``But they're distributed in Virginia!'' exalted Susan and all the candy people standing with her.
``Oh, good!'' the governor responded. Then he smiled. Then everyone smiled.
Collins handed first lady Allen two antique-looking gum ball machines, both loaded with Jelly Bellies.
``This is to help the governor reduce the money problems in Virginia?'' she asked.
Then, cradling the machines like melons, she smiled and looked back toward the candy people.
``Well,'' she said. ``This will be some great advertising for you all, huh?'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS photo
Virginia's first lady, Susan Allen, unveiled a 10,000-jelly-bean
portrait of George Washington, by San Francisco artist Peter Rocha.
by CNB