Replicas of the well-loved Glen Iris family chooks, Salt and Pepper, came to life in 2012 as a whole school project.

Made from cane and papier-mâché, they were decorated with a variety of textiles, papers and feathers to look like the wandering kind, the Chinese Silkie chicken!

Pehang cane, commonly used by fishermen to make cray pods, formed the basic structure, using Gaffer tape to secure the joins.

This structure was then covered with lunch wrap paper, dipped in diluted PVA. When dry it’s as hard as a drum!

Each grade level used a mixture of recycled materials and ‘left over’ bits to create a textured feathered look…

From tied shredded grey plastic bags, to plaited muslin and knotted calico strips washed with black food dye!

A small team from the grades 5/6 classes, worked together, using with Magiclay to model the chooks faces.

To this day the younger students believe the story of the chooks escaping at night, being locked in the Art room and playing havoc in the paints… Hence Pepper’s crazy red hair!

Michele Freeland-Small
Glen Iris Primary School
Suitable for Whole School Projects