Metal Art Man
Ten years ago when Tony Gray started buying up scrap metal, glass and bakelite, he had no intention of becoming an artist. He originally planned to resell the parts, but the more he looked at the various bits and pieces, the more he recognised their potential. Tony began to see marvellous curves, shapes and the beautiful lines of Art Deco in the objects, and he decided to try to put them together to create sculptures.
The sculptures
Tony makes all his sculptures from chrome, stainless steel, silver plated metal and glass, and he also has a collection of bakelite. Every weekend he goes out to flea markets, garage sales and second hand shops looking for materials. When he sees something he likes, he is able to imagine the finished product, and then starts to hunt for any extra parts he needs to complete the item. One of the interesting things about the sculptures is that they are constructed so that the individual pieces retain their integrity. For example when Tony made the body of a helicopter from a teapot he didn’t remove the spout, so it’s still recognisable as a teapot. Other finished works include a flying saucer lamp made from a 1964 Falcon hubcap, a flower made from spoons, a lamp made from a shower head and a spaceship made from car parts, a pushbike valve, two camping plates, a saucepan lid and a goblet base.
Further information
For details on cost and availability contact Tony Gray, phone: (07) 3865 2097. Tony’s work is on display at the Art/Worker’s Gallery, Top Floor, Broadway on the Mall, Brisbane, QLD.