Artist does her best to create Baby Jesus sculpture, sparks ridicule

Mary and the baby Jesus (CBC News)

A replacement sculpture baby Jesus outside a Canadian church is really making heads turn.

The terracotta head has been temporarily fixed to a vandalised sculpture by a local artist in Ontario.

But the good intentions to replace the vandalised structure have not met with universal approval.

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The replacement head has been ridiculed, compared to the notorious attempt by a Spanish pensioner several years ago to restore a painting in her local church, and even likened to Maggie Simpson.

The new sculpture is already starting to erode (CBC News)

The problem started when the head of baby Jesus, outside the Ste Anne des Pins church, was knocked off a year ago.

It was not the first time vandals had attacked the artwork, and usually parishioners were able to find the head of baby Jesus.

But not this time.

So a new head was needed and despite asking local businesses to help out with the cost - around £8,000 - no one came forward.

That’s when a local artist, Heather Wise, said she would help out.

‘To do a statue of baby Jesus for a church is like an honour of my entire art career,’ she said

But her well-meaning efforts have not been fully appreciated.

One person wrote to CBC News claiming: ‘No wonder Mary has her eyes closed.’

Other have taken to social media to ridicule the work.

Those on social media were quick to comment on the sculpture (@theghissilent/Twitter)

The new head, although temporary, has angered some though the the priest  Gerard Lajeunesse - who admitted the colour was ‘shocking’ - urged parishioners to be patient.

‘It’s a first try. It’s a first go. And hopefully what is done at the end will please everyone,’ he told CBC News.

Though he admitted that he wasn’t expecting the criticism.

‘I wasn’t trained for this in seminary,’ said Father Lajeunesse.

One extra problem though is that the weather is causing the new clay sculpture to erode, so baby Jesus may be headless again soon.