This lecture explores an unconventional creative path, from childhood dreams of painting and illustration to professional kitchens and, eventually, sculpting a giant edible cow out of butter. Fanny Hicks shares how her formal art training, years of cake decorating, and experience working as a baker unexpectedly converged in a single project that challenged traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.
Through personal storytelling and visual examples, Hicks examines how creative skills migrate across mediums, how making a living can reshape an artistic practice, and why food can be a powerful—and playful—art material. The talk invites audiences to reconsider where art “belongs,” and how curiosity, adaptability, and craftsmanship can lead to surprising creative outcomes—even when butter is involved.