Many artists have used birds as their main source of inspiration, but Matt Wilson is doing it in a way no one even dared to try. He’s giving old cutlery a new life by transforming it into amazing sculptures that pay homage to nature and often take the shape of birds.
Wilson spent his childhood in Greenville, South Carolina, and was accepted to attend art classes at the Fine Arts Center of Greenville while still in high school. After acquiring an art degree, he decided to experiment with different mediums and shifted from drawing and painting to mastering welding so he could build metal models of ships.
This new skill brought him one step closer to specializing in an upcycled art that he’s now known for. He’s committed to helping people gain a new appreciation for simple, neglected items, such as old forks, spoons, and knives, by transforming them into art.
“Influenced by natural elements, my art is a reflection of the environment in which I live. Using recycled and organic materials – scrap metal, reclaimed wood, bone, etc., my sculptures depict continuous life cycles that consciously and unconsciously permeate our awareness,” he explains on his official website.
Wilson’s creations take the shape of many different animals, but birds seem to be his specialty. He enjoys learning more about different species so he could capture them as truthfully as possible through his art.
