What do you think of when you think of an artist? For some people, it is somebody who paints on canvas and for others, it may be those who make beautiful sculptures out of stone or clay. The fact of the matter is, however, an artist can take on many different forms and we certainly have seen a lot of beautiful artwork done in creative ways online. Every once in a while, however, we find an artist that really does something unique.
This artist is doing something that I’ve never seen done before. His name is John Lopez and he is based in South Dakota. He sees beauty in the world around him, much as we all do but he also sees it in a very unique way. He likes to create images out of the Wild West. He doesn’t do it with a pad and pen or on canvas but rather, he uses old, discarded farm equipment. When he makes these metal sculptures, there is no doubt that he has a talent that is both unique and beautiful.
These welded figures are both eco-friendly and full of personality. You’ll see a lot of familiar animals, but they are all made out of recycled materials.
Lopez started making bronze sculptures but soon found that he had the ability to turn scrap metal into something unique. He discovered that when making the family grave for his aunt.
There is something intriguing about the past and his idea of re-creating it with something that would typically be thrown onto a scrapheap. He also makes it fun, such as a cowboy riding on a Triceratops.
“My favorite part about these pieces is the texture,” explains Lopez. “I just start grabbin’ stuff from the pile and welding it, in and if you weld enough of the same thing on over and over it creates this really cool texture that I’ve never seen in these kinds of pieces before. And I think that’s what draws people in.”
His art is sure to leave an impact on your mind. It’s amazing that he is able to do something so beautiful.