These Incredible Sculptures Were Once Used For… WHAT? This Will Blow Your Mind

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This amazing sculptor took tragedy and allowed it to inspire him to do something big. His work is massive and beautiful and so is his story behind it.

These stunning sculptures of heavy beasts have been fashioned from scrap metal.

They are the work of artist John Lopez who welds the pieces from abandoned farm machinery.

Based in the town of Lemmon, South Dakota, the 43-year-old has created full-size representations of creatures including a horse, buffalo and even a cowboy atop a triceratops.

Mr Lopez had a successful career in bronze sculpting, but changed his working techniques after the death of his aunt Effie in a car accident.

He moved to his widowed uncle Geno Hunt's ranch and set about making a family cemetery. But after completing a perimeter fence Mr Lopez ran out of material and, being 35 miles from the nearest town, had to search for usable scrap iron on site.

Bronze sculptor John Lopez, from South Dakota, creates the most amazing western style sculptures using old farm equipment.

 

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He finds abandoned farm machinery and recycles the pieces.

 

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Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment
 

Part of the reason John went this direction with his sculptures happened after tragedy hit his family.

Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment
Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment

 

Bronze sculptor john lopez 5

 

An aunt of his passed away and that's when using old materials and meshing things together for sculpting turned into a passion.

 

Bronze sculptor john lopez 6

 

Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment

 

Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment

He said: 'I am a sculptor and love to create. I started welding sculptures together using scrap iron after my Aunt Effie's death. I built a cemetery around her head stone on the ranch and it all started from there.'

 

Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment

 

Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment

 

Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment
 

Wherever his inspiration may come and whatever materials he may find, John Lopez is creating massive sculptures that bring the old American west back to life.

Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment

 

Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment

 

Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment

 

Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment

And all of his work is pretty magnificent!

Scrap metal sculptor, bronze sculptor by john lopez, john lopez, metal recycle idea, lemmon, scrap metal sculptor in south dakota, western style sculptures, sculptures using old farm equipment

H/T Daily Mail

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