The summer of the chicken

This is the summer of the chicken. I mentioned working on this topic in early spring for our town's 'What's Hatching in Brandon?' event. Now I'm working on a chicken sculpture for the Framers Market gallery show opening next week. (I also made a farmer on a tractor to mix it up a bit.)  This summer is just flying by. PZGJTBEDD679

Chicken made from scratch  ©robinrkent

Chicken with makeup     ©robinrkent

Nobody Here But Us Chickens

The start (with color changes to come)

©robinrkent

Painting chickens as sidewalk art for 'What's Hatching in Brandon'. Such is the assignment for Brandon Artists Guild's www.brandonartistsguild.org summer project. Our Guild has created various summer-long themes for over 10 years now. Always fun to tackle a new subject for the curbside viewing public.
Large attention-getting pieces will be seen in front of shops starting from Memorial Day to Columbus Day weekend, and we'll strut our stuff in the July 4th parade. (pictures to follow?)
And I'm not alone in making these oversized (4'x5') interactive plaques. I think there will be 10 or so done for placement around town - the most ever yet.

Add your face here!   ©robinrkent

I'm not very good at planning ahead of time, but I tried to document the process as I went along.

Here are some snaps I took as I tried to create can-can dancing french hens on ply with housepaint. (Tentatively to be placed in front of the Gourmet Provence shop. cafeprovencevt.com/)

The black hole in the center chicken will be cut out for any dancer/chicken wannabees to add their face to the art. What a photo op!

Finale!   OOOO la la!    ©robinrkent

Rabbit Run

'Rabbit Run' wall assemblage
reclaimed lumber, house paint

The Easter bunny is caught in the crosshairs this holiday season. How interesting it didn't have any initial association with Christianity. (Its start was in pre-Christian fertility folklore.) But it couldn't outrun destiny and merged with the chocolate bunny. Do you bite off the ears first, too?
Nevertheless, this critter will be on people's minds a little longer. The next full moon is the Hare Moon (May 17, 2011).
The moon's symbol in Chinese tradition is - the rabbit. (The peacock represents the sun). Together they are the Yin (moon) and Yang. The rabbit (Yin) holds the magic and strength of the heavens. Look up on the next full moon night and take it in.
The Chinese Zodiac keeps it in the spotlight longer still. This is the year of the Hare, or Rabbit. A Hare (Rabbit) Year is supposed to nurture a time of calm, renewal, good taste and comfort. Can't we all use some of that?

I've used 'hare' or 'rabbit' interchangeably so far, but I've read you shouldn't confuse them. The difference being rabbits are born hairless and hares are born, well, you know. Hares also run faster and don't freeze in place when frightened. Not sure how well those bunnies would keep in the freezer then. Chocolate gets a coat of white on it if you do that. Called a sugar bloom.

At this time of year, with all this attention on them, I can imagine rabbits/hares/bunnies would like to be laying low about now (but that's for the chicken discussion).

Easter eggs also have a pagan background....

'Black Dotted White Chicken'

wall assemblage

antique barn board, electrical wire, dowels, house paint