How it all started

Last year (2019), my niece Iman brought a mini keg of Doom Bar to our family Xmas party. Once it was empty, like a dutiful citizen, I put it out with the recycling, thinking wow that’s a big chunk of metal. For some reason, they wouldn’t take it and I brought it back in. Ok then, I thought, maybe I should do something constructive with it, like make a big metal bird…

Unfortunately, I quickly discovered that the metal was a lot thicker than I thought it was and after several attempts to cut it up with the tools I had available, I had to admit defeat. Frustrating.

A few days later though, when I was supposed to be starting a particularly dull set of illustration roughs (the day job…), I noticed an empty can of Brewdog Punk Ale on the worktop. ‘Mmmm’ said the procrastination elf sitting on my shoulder, ‘I bet that would be much easier to cut up than the big thick tin…’ Several hours and a couple of little nicks later, the Procrastination Bird was born, and it turned out that the base of the tin made the perfect stand to attach him to. Not only that, but when I stuck him down, it turned out that he had a very satisfying wobble.

I was then informed by my beer loving son that there were all sorts of colourful tins out there, all begging to be transformed into something else. As I write this, I’ve made 22 little metal sculptures so far and there doesn’t seem to be any reason to stop. My entire family, including my mum, who is 93, are now saving me all sorts of weird and wonderful cans. Their friends and mine are at it too so there’s no shortage of materials.

Oh and I did eventually manage to cut up the Doom Bar tin, without which none of this would have happened, so thanks Iman!