Are We Walking to Alaska

Are We Walking to Alaska
Are We Walking to Alaska - A True Story

Monday, April 8, 2013

Mellow Yellow

We spend a lot of time on day trips - finding interesting things to photograph - and have I got something interesting for you today.  There is a house in Conway, WA - it has piles of stuff, and more things and assorted gadgets.  We passed the house many times - and one day were parked right in front of it - and I realized what it was all about.  The man who lives there makes art of recycled materials.  He will take any thing that is going into the dump and rescue it (except food garbage) and turn it into something new.

Well - you see for yourself - come along


There were many different types of recycling - I was most interested in the sculptures made of scraps of wood and metal and bottle caps.  This bird caught my eye right off.

Each bottle cap placed precisely so the words on the yellow ones formed spokes

I'm not sure who this is supposed to be - fisherman with an apron on?  Lady holding up a rope?  I guess it can be whoever we want it to be.  To the side you see another of his wood and metal sculptures.

The skirt/apron of this sculpture was full of bottle caps and lids.  The sculptor's young teenage daughter saw me taking photos and came down to chat with us.  I asked about the bottle caps,  wondering how they got so many - and she said that people hear about them and know they want the caps so they save them by the bucketful.  

When I asked her how long it took her father to make a sculpture, she said "Until the sculpture says it is done."  Not only is he into recycling, he isn't in any big hurry - he enjoys his work/hobby.

Being a quilter, I am impressed with the Grandmother's Flower Garden design on the skirt/apron.

The face was interesting - I was especially impressed that he found a piece of drift wood just the right shape for the nose.  
  
and pink tinged cheeks.

On his fence was a random design, I'm not sure if this one has said it was finished or not - there is still some space for more bottle caps and corks

I didn't think to ask - but does he buy the nails for attaching the corks and bottle caps, or are they recycled too?

A red sculpture - you can buy any of these sculptures, or he will come to your house and build you one.  He'll decorate your fences or walls - or make free standing sculptures.



And another bit of yellow

Higher up the same post was another design, using corks, bottle caps and at the bottom, plastic fruit - he doesn't waste anything.  Along the top of the fence are foam fishing net floats.  He seems to still be working on this one - though not that day - it was cold and windy.

If you are ever  in Conway, WA -  just drive a few blocks after you turn onto Fir Island Rd, and on the left you will see a house with piles and stacks and bundles of things - that's his place - enjoy a stroll through or purchase your very own bottle cap and cork sculpture.











9 comments:

Peggy said...

Aren't those kinds of things fascinating! Thanks for sharing this.

Cecilia said...

Oh, I just loved this one, Jo. Wish there was someone like that around here. It would be such great fun.

Crispy said...

Very cool!!

Crispy

LINDA BYLSMA said...

That is just amazing. Makes me want to start collecting lids!~ Just what I need, another artform. While on Lopez Island this weekend, I saw they have a community recycle, reuse center. It costs so much to have garbage hauled away on the ferries, that they have a center where people can leave their old, unused things, and others shop for free. All run by community members, it helps to keep the community clean and helps others to save alot of money!

Jackie McGuinness said...

I so love finding places like this!! I'm your latest follower!!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

I love outsider art. I often wonder about the artists who create it. This was fun. Thanks, Jo.

Debra at HOMESPUN: http://www.thehomespun.com said...

Fun post! :) His stuff is amazing....you can't help but smile all the way through the post! :)

betty-NZ said...

What a fun place! I wonder if the are tells him anything else?!

Kay said...

Fun stuff! It's great that things are finding a second life in art. But I do admit I find myself happy that this isn't a project my husband would do.