Originally published at: Minnesota State Fair's butter sculptor retires after 50-year run | Boing Boing
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Ghee, that was a good long run!
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They must’ve buttered her up real good for her to stay that long
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I love the butter heads, and Christensen is extremely talented.
Dairy Princesses are frequently blond and white with perfectly aligned teeth, but not exclusively so. The sculptures, on the other hand, always /do/ look blond, white, and have perfectly aligned teeth. I’m unclear on if this is a limitation of the medium (butter only comes in the one shade after all) or a limitation of the sculptor’s imagination. I’m looking forward to seeing if the new sculptor cracks that puzzle.
“Now, after churning out more than 500 princess butter heads over nearly five decades, Christensen has decided to retire her knife.”
Heh.
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I remember reading a novel (don’t ask me the title) which revolved around a stolen butter head that was being held for ransom.
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But . . .but . . .butter art is needed now more than ever.
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Hah, nice. I missed that. I was, though, udderly delighted to see they already have a replacement lined up.
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I think you’re thinking of butter emails?
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I’m sorry but that reply is just too pat.
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Democracy dies in darkness. And in the face of horrible puns.
I’d go to the butter sculpture building at the Ohio State Fair every year in the 1970s. If I remember correctly it was sponsored by Borden’s Milk.There was a cow made of butter every year. As a kid I just assumed it was the same butter cow, stuck in a fridge or freezer at the end of that year, year after year.
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Good butter best
Never let it rest
Till your good is butter
And your butter is best
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Smooth move.
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There’s no margarine for error.
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Lived in Minneapolis for a few years and went to the Minnesota State Fair a few times.
I wondered what did they do with the butter heads afterwards… give them to a Denny’s restaurant to make grand slam breakfasts? But no, a friend of mine claims that the b-heads are given to the individual beauty pagent contestants. He also claims one of the heads was used as the centerpiece for the contestant’s sister’s wedding reception.
I’m hoping the off-cuts are collected and given to a soup kitchen or something.
(also, Minnesota Butter Heads is the name of my all-girl, trash punk polka band)
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I think it’s a limitation of the medium, and not necessarily the artist. I found these two photos of one of the princesses:
It looks like Christensen did a pretty good job portraying the young lady accurately.
I’d also like to say, if I had one of these made for me, I’d be sorely tested to buy a freezer just for it.
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[Waves “hi” 
from Minneapolis. As of three weeks ago, I’ve now lived here for two-thirds of my life (44 out of 66 years).]
Yup, that’s my understanding, too, from various news reports over the years.
AND, in the photo posted by @MagicFox just below your comment, the poster shown on the wall of the butter-sculpting room says “After the Fair, each Princess Kay Finalist takes her sculpture home.” So there we have a truly authoritative answer, I’d say.
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Sweetest pun yet. Or is it salted?
Also, off topic, but welcome back! I was away when you popped back up so never got extend to a greeting.
I salute you
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