I created Make Way For Calflings for the 2006 Boston Cow Parade. It is, of course, based on Make Way For Ducklings, the beloved children’s book by Robert McCloskey, and the bronze sculpture in Boston’s Public Garden by Nancy Schön. Luckily for me, the Cow Parade folks had some small fiberglass base cows I could use, as well as the big one.

I was very happy with the cow I created, but overall the experience was mixed, and I felt rather exploited by the end of it. If I recall correctly, I got a $1000 stipend, of which I spent about $600 on materials, not to mention studio rental, and it took a bit over 100 hours, maybe $2/hour for me? Then it sold at auction for $50,000, to a telecom mogul who wanted it for his grandchilden. His $50K was tax deductible, so the taxpayers kicked in about $25K. Pretty sure all those Jimmy Fund employees were making more than $2/hour!

So I’m working for free, the telecom mogul gets his sculpture half price, the taxpayers pay the other half, and everyone who works directly for the Jimmy Fund makes an actual living wage. There were many fun moments, and I got to manifest my vision, which is how they sucker artists into working for free…

My mother took this photo near Farm Pond in Framingham before we dropped off the cow. Thanks, Mama! I rented a Penske truck for that job, and as I delivered my cow, another one was arriving in style in the back of an open convertible!