Butter Putter
If you were a butter sculptor and you had already done a barn and a cow, what would your next piece be? The obvious answer is Tiger Woods. If you don’t see the natural progression, you must not be a real butter sculptor.
What’s that under the bench? Did the butter go to Tiger’s
head and cause him to not only eat a Big Mac, but litter, too?
This week I found myself in Des Moines, Iowa, where I was fortunate to find the Iowa State Fair poised to open its ten day run. The fair actually started the day I left, but the night before there was a free preview to anyone wanting to roam the fairgrounds.
A lot of the features and shows were open and running as well as restaurants and assorted deep fried foods-on-sticks stands. Some of the rides were even running. Most of the animals were there, though “Champions Row” was empty so I didn’t get to see the prize hogs which are reportedly a sight to behold. However, I did see a lot of cattle, swine and other animals I’ve never been so close to before. It was kind of thrilling.
Here is Scooter, the flirting Ostrich. He was into me. I could tell by the
way he kept batting those long eyelashes and leaning in for the photos.
Whatever you do, don’t forget to make your way into the Agriculture building. That’s where you will find the amazing butter sculptures.
I looked up the artist on the internet so I could give her credit since I’m putting her artwork on my site without permission. Her name is Norma “Duffy” Lyon and here is her website. It lists a few of her other subjects and has a picture of another of her sculptures – The Last Supper!
July 24, 2006 at 7:20 pm
Enjoyed your posting. I just spent a part of my Saturday with Norma Duffy Lyon, as you’ll see from my posting at steveonbroadway.blogspot.com. I doubt she’d be upset with your posting one bit.
Duffy has actually achieved some ironic degree of pop folk hero status well beyond the confines of Iowa “fly-over” country. Whlle she has indeed made life-sized sculptures out of butter for nearly 50 years at the Iowa State Fair, she’s also been featured on everything from NBC’s “Today” show and David Letterman to “To Tell The Truth” way back in the 60s.
The best thing about Duffy Lyon is that she’d probably get a kick out of your blog! Maybe if you provide your likeness, she’d even memorialize you in butter!