ARTIST CREATES CELEBRITY PRORTRAITS FROM GOOSE EGGS

THEY CALL HIM THE EGG MAN. FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS JOHN LAMOURANNE HAS BEEN MAKING UNIQUE CELEBRITY PORTRAITS FROM GOOSE EGGS, AND SELLING THEM FOR UP TO £600 A TIME. 'MY EGG ART BEGAN AFTER A TRIP TO DISNEY WORLD WITH MY DAUGHTERS IN THE LATE 1970s' SAYS THE 63 YEAR OLD. 'I MADE A MICKEY MOUSE AND THAT LED ME TO PRODUCE MY FIRST REAL EGG ARTWORK OF THE BEATLES.' EACH CREATION IS AROUND FIVE TO SIX INCHES HIGH, PAINTED WITH CERAMIC PAINT AND FINISHED USING MODELING GLUE AND PARTS TAKEN FROM DOLLS. 'I FIRST HOLLOW OUT THE EGGS WITH A SMALL DRILL AND STRAW AND THEN EMPTY THEM OF THE CONTENTS', SAYS LAMOURANNE. 'LUCKILY, IF I MAKE A MISTAKE THE RAW MATERIALS ARE NOT THAT EXPENSIVE OR RARE.' IN THE LAST 32 YEARS, HE ESTIMATES HE HAS MADE SEVERAL THOUSAND EGGS. MANY OF HIS PORTRAITS HAVE ENDED UP IN THE HANDS OF THEIR SUBJECTS. 'GENE SIMMONS FROM KISS APPARENTLY HAS HIMSELF AS PAINTED BY ME', SAY LAMOURANNE. 'THAT IS A COOL THING.'