Celebrate Green Blog

by Lynn

I’m a lover of all things clever, especially items made from recycled materials.

Below is some recycled art I fell for and purchased for our back porch. Every time I go outside, these make me smile and they’re great conversation starters. Like them or not, guests never fail to comment.

It’s no wonder that during our recent trip across the country I sought out scrap metal sculptures and happily found some great examples.

The Recycled Factory Man, in Franklin, TN, is amazing, so well done. He was created by Kris Nethercutt, from parts of a factory that closed and represents the men who worked there.

It’s 20 feet tall and took 2500 hours over six years to construct. Nethercutt’s sense of humor adds whimsy to the piece—a spigot in case Rusty gets “water on the knee,” a wrench for a “wrenched ankle,” a bug in his ear, and more.

The detail work and the “useless” items employed make this a stunning, meaningful piece of art.

Even though I’d read about these whack-a-do sculptures, coming upon them as we left Greensburg, KS, still was a surprise. They’re the work of M.T. Liggett, a cantankerous character, who denies being political, even though much of his work seems primarily dedicated to skewing, humiliating, and otherwise irritating politicians from the local school board to U.S. presidents.

On a bike ride outside of Jackson WY, we came upon this guy happily munching away in someone’s front yard.

Do you have any recycled metal art near where you live? I’d love to see it. Link in the comment section please.

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, and founders of Green Halloween®.