Scrap metal is getting a second chance at life in the hands of artist John Kennedy Brown. The Wales-based sculptor, also known as J.K. Brown, repurposes found metal materials into incredible and beautiful works of art, from delicate butterflies to colorful birds. Brown sells his welded figures on his online Etsy shop, Green Hand Sculpture.
Like other scrap metal art, Brown’s works take a considerable amount of time and skill to complete. His most popular works are the welded butterflies, which Brown says represents metamorphosis. “I like to think that the buyers are people seeking an emblem of beauty transcending endless consumption,” Brown wrote. The butterflies are meticulously painted and shaped in the likeness of specific species, such as the Holly Blue and Red Admiral butterflies.
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Brown also creates many other welded creatures, including a variety of insects, birds, frogs, horses, and snakes, many of which were inspired by local fauna like the endangered Adder. While lifelike, the anatomically correct sculptures retain their weld marks and rusty discolorations in celebration of their scrap origins. Brown’s pieces are currently on show at the Living Art gallery in Hungerford.
Via Colossal
Images via Green Hand Sculpture
