It has often been said that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. For Matt Sloane, this phrase certainly rings true. A welder from Tasmania, Australia, Mr. Sloane uses scrap metal to create works of art. The talented artist specializes in creating life-size animal sculptures. Mr. Sloane has always been passionate about art. He even attended art school for a brief period but soon realized it wasn’t for him. A decade later, he took a course at a vocational college that sparked his interest in metalwork. As part of the course, he fashioned a life-size eagle out of scrap metal. The beauty of the majestic eagle with its wings spread out left him amazed.
“I couldn’t believe myself that I’d made that eagle in the right proportions,” he told The Epoch Times, adding that it was truly “the inspirational moment” that prompted him to create even more metalwork. Instead of creating miniature or oversized animals, he decided to stick with life-size sculptures. Mr. Sloane emphasizes that proportions are important when sculpting. He says that he “really captures the essence of the animal” when he’s working within the life-size proportions. Sticking to those proportions can make a sculpture seem more realistic “like a real animal.”
Although Mr. Sloane’s sculptures are life-size, each sculpture begins with a small idea. Someone will suggest that he create a new animal, for example, a cow or a bear. If Mr. Sloane is interested, he’ll research the animal by studying photos, models, and even children’s toys. Then, he begins working. In sculpting, his main objective is to create the animal’s head according to proper proportions. He explains that he likes to create the essence of the animal, focusing on the face. “And then from there, I can figure out proportions for the rest of the body,” he said. The artist uses all kinds of scrap metal: car parts, old tools, or unused farm equipment. After creating the head, he describes the rest of the process as “a huge jigsaw puzzle.” It’s a matter of finding which scrap pieces fit in which area.
Mr. Sloane doesn’t use many tools, aside from a few grinders. In fact, some of his tools have ended up being put to use in his art. He might be using a high-quality set of pliers given to him by a neighbor, but the pliers just happen to be the perfect piece for a new sculpture. “I have to cut it up and put it in my sculpture,” he said. “And then I’ve got to find another one to use!” Mr. Sloane enjoys creating symmetrical animals. Each side of an animal must match the other, and working symmetrically has proved to be the “biggest challenge” for him in his sculpting journey. “So I might find the perfect piece,” he said. “But I need to find two of them.”