When I first heard about Buffy, I thought the whole production seemed very silly.  There are thousands of chickens, cows, and pigs right here in our own country living in deplorable conditions…all in the name of cheap, easy food for us.  Why make such a fuss over one chicken, when there are so many others out there suffering everyday?  But then I began to realize that by giving this random hen a name, a face, and a sweater, the RSPCA had taken a small step towards bringing us face to face with the animals that give their lives to put food on our plates.  Too often we purchase our food in the sterile styrofoam packages from the supermarket without so much as a thought to for the animal that provided the meat, the farm where the animal lived, or the way it was treated while it was alive.

So, after doing some online research, I set out to create a sculpture inspired by Buffy’s story.  These images show the progression of this piece as it was built, starting with the inspiration photograph of Buffy and ending with the leather-hard finished sculpture.  I will be sure to include an image of the fired piece in a later post.  To learn more about the importance of supporting sustainable farming, cruelty free farms, and truly organic farms visit SustainableTable.org. You can read Buffy’s full story here.

Here the piece is just beginning to look like a chicken.

In this image, I have begun to add details, and Buffy has been placed on her pillow.

Finished leather-hard piece.