I am always intrigued when I find art in unlikely places. This past weekend I made an appointment to have front brakes installed on my car. I planned my day accordingly and woke up bright and early. Meineke is currently having a sale on brakes, and although I had never gone there before for repairs, the allure of saving $50.00 compared to a previous quote I had received was too good to pass up.
When I arrived at the shop I was greeted unexpectedly by a piece of upcycled art. Of course I had to snap a picture of this pleasant little door greeter and his loyal pup. This little man and his dog were made from recycled car parts, mufflers, brake parts and the like. Of course I fell in love with them instantly.
It seems that one or more of the mechanics has a creative side! Apparently, this is not a new concept as upcycling car parts into works of art is more common than one might think. Roadside America an online guide to offbeat tourist attractions has a great article featuring some of these so-called “muffler men” who populate the auto shops and roadsides of America. You may have already seen some of these sculptures on your travels already!
There are also some truly amazing upcycle artists in the world and they take this art form to a whole new level! One such artist is Australia’s James Corbett. He has been creating sculptures from spare auto parts and junk since 1999. Below is an example of his work. Look at all those spark plugs!
Below is James, pictured with one of his many creations. The eyes are made of headlights…genius!
To see more of his work visit the Crimson Reason Blog. They feature several of Jame’s intricate creations.
Another talented scrap artist is Frenchman Edouard Martinet. As a young student he became somewhat “obsessed” with insects. Later, he chose to incorporate his love of insects and other animals in sculpture. The detail and artistry here is off the charts!
Check out this interview with Edouard Martinet below.
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
― Edgar Degas
On The Upcycle~ 
Inspiring!
LikeLike
It sure is! The talent is off the charts!
LikeLike
That’s a great discovery. Even though it’s a muffler shop, UpMom, we can’t keep quiet about it, can we? Thanks for sharing the man and his dog. Bravo to the artsy mechanic and his creative mind.
LikeLike
What a BRILLIANT post! I’ve been scrolling back and forth, looking over the photographs again and again. I adore art which keeps you looking. Keeps your attention. And these certainly do that.
If I were to open my purse and invest my money (or the few pennies which are left in there) …. I’d buy the sheep in a heart beat! It has such movement. You can FEEL the way those locks of fur swish as the sheep turns it’s head.
Ohhh just one of the best blog posts! LOVE IT. Thank you for a great read, Upcycle Mom! ~ Cobs x
LikeLike
You are so sweet! Thanks so much for your encouraging words! It is amazing the talent these artists have! Something to aspire too for sure!
LikeLike
Let me see if I can find a link to a work of art I saw in NYC… it was a massive phoenix displayed in St. John the Divine and made entirely out of junkkkkk. >>>> http://www.stjohndivine.org/programs/art/upcoming-exhibitions
That has a photo. It was pretty interesting. Though random for a cathedral!
LikeLike
I agree random but WOW~! That is quite a site and just amazing! A pheonix rising from all the junk.
LikeLike
Here in northern Colorado there is the Swetsville Zoo, a crazy roadside attraction built by Bill Swets. He used old car parts and farm equipment and while I wouldn’t call it great art, it’s fun. http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/10787
LikeLike