Creating art from scrap metal materials requires patience and accuracy. Talented artists can take just about anything from a scrap yard including used car parts, old watch pieces, and broken or outdated electronics and turn them into works of art. At Metalico Rochester, a full-service metal recycling facility in Rochester, NY, nearly all nonhazardous metals can be recycled so that they might be reused in goods or art at a later date.

Here are some famous pieces of scrap metal art that were built using recycled metals found at scrap yards all over the world:

• Dakotah: Created by sculptor John Lopez, Dakota is a life-sized sculpture of a bison and tells the story of life on the prairie when these creatures used to roam the area in vast numbers. He started with a clay model that was cast into bronze. There were over twelve dozen bronze castings of South Dakotan inspirations like Mt. Rushmore and the bald eagle. He then welded scrap metal primarily from abandoned farm machinery including leftover oil well pipe for the legs and framework. He spent months creating the bison from one ton's worth of draped chains, curls of sheet metal, sickle guards, and hunks of cable wire.

• Ecstasy: This sculpture of a woman, who is supposed to embody passion, stands 30 feet tall. It was created by mixed-media artist Karen Cusolito from salvaged and recycled steel. The random bits of metal and chains from structural steel, old machines, and used car parts create a defined human shape. The hair is made from retired chains, and her structure is comprised of 10 inch schedule 40 pipe.
• Praying Mantis: This smaller scrap art sculpture was designed by Edouard Martinet and is one of his famous insect 

  

  creations. Martinet never welds his designs from parts he finds at flea markets and auto part sales. Instead, all of his sculptures are screwed together. This one in particular is made primarily from bike and used car parts including a bike fender, car ventilator, rear view lights, car mirrors, windshield wiper arms, car bumper, bike brakes, and a bike chain.

• Metalico Rochester's Gate Art: Made entirely of recycled rebar materials and measuring 66 ft in width, this gate art created by Dejan Pejovic, pivots and turns on a single bearing, creating a visually stunning appearance. Bright red and scale-like, visitors can use their imaginations to interpret this piece in a number of different ways. This type of artwork is intended to change the stigma against scrap metal. With some creativity and resourcefulness, abandoned materials can be converted into eco-friendly art that the whole community can appreciate.     

If these works of art have inspired you to visit a scrap yard, contact Metalico Rochester by calling (585) 436-0713. If you would like to learn more about the Rochester metal recycling facility, you can also visit their website.