Artist Transforms His Staten Island Home into a Gallery of Recycled Steampunk Sculptures

<p>Front lawns are a bit of a rarity in New York City, and artist <a href="http://www.drawger.com/spollen/">Chris Spollen</a> isn't taking his for granted. He's decked the front of his Cromwell Avenue home in <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/staten-island/">Staten Island</a> out with homemade robots, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/nycs-most-famous-turkey-kept-a-low-profile-on-thanksgiving-day/">wild turkeys</a> and other oddities to create a steampunk display unlike any other in the whole city. In fact, Spollen's entire Ocean Breeze home is adorned with recycled works ranging from airplanes to submarines to cars, and has been dubbed the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWygpLk6P1M">Steam Powered Art Factory</a>.</p>

All of the art Spollen makes is made of trash he finds in <a href="http://inhabitat.com/traces-junk-shop-showcases-young-designers-playful-green-designs/">junkyards</a> and on street corners.

A steampunk airship made by Spollen out of recycled materials.

For one of his most notable pieces, a life-sized steampunk bot, Spollen fashioned together an <a href="http://inhabitat.com/heerlen-minewater-project/">old heating system</a> for the main body and then a variety of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/how-to-recycle-a-tin-can-into-a-gorgeous-outdoor-lantern-for-summer-parties/">metal cans</a> to build the limbs.

Spollen told DNAinfo he started creating metal sculptures over two years ago. Now, nearly every wall and shelf features a sculpture or a painting by his wife <a href="https://plus.google.com/112488424608612205741/posts?cfem=1">Bao Jing</a>.

Spollen does not have an exact count on how many pieces of metal art he’s produced but it’s over 100.

Eventually he plans to open up the house as a gallery for people to view the entire collection.

Previously some of Spollen’s works have been part of art galleries in Staten Island, Massachusetts and New Jersey.