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\nAdrian Worsley with his latest cow creation. Photos \/ Steve Edwards<\/p>\n
A Te Aroha sculptor has taken on board the \u201ctrash to treasure\u201d philosophy in a highly creative way.<\/p>\n
For the past 15 years, Adrian Worsley has turned recycled material \u2013 a lot from farms \u2013 into unique works of art.<\/p>\n
Prominent examples include Matamata\u2019s signature racehorse, one of Morrinsville\u2019s \u201cHerd of Cows\u201d, street art in Te Aroha, and pieces at Paeroa College and Matamata Primary School.<\/p>\n
Adrian\u2019s latest work is a larger-than-life cow for a Waikato farmer.<\/p>\n
The 825kg Friesian, heading from his Rewi St gallery to its future home this month, is 2.5m high and 3.5m from nose to tail.<\/p>\n
Labour of love<\/p>\n
Like all of Adrian\u2019s unique creations, the cow has been a labour of love.<\/p>\n
Eighteen months ago, he received a \u201cwish list\u201d from the farmer client for Friesian cow with a friendly face and good udder.<\/p>\n
\nAdrian Worsley with his latest cow creation. Photos \/ Steve Edwards<\/p>\n
Adrian\u2019s initial research involved photographs from the farm and online.<\/p>\n
All the required materials were on hand, in his yard or via a scrap dealer in Hamilton.<\/p>\n
The \u201cbig bits\u201d included a bathtub, metal table bases and old plough discs.<\/p>\n
White parts of the Friesian\u2019s coat were created from new sheets of stainless-steel plate.<\/p>\n
Adrian says an A4 sketch of the cow became a full-size picture, then a wire frame.<\/p>\n
The latter was removed as he bent, twisted and shaped the assorted pieces of metal, welded together from the hooves up. \u201cI polish and grind it as I go,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
When finished, Adrian sprinkled the sculpture with water for five days until the non-stainless parts began to rust, creating the required black and white colouration.<\/p>\n
This is further highlighted by masking the white sections and adding black dye to the balance.<\/p>\n
Final act <\/p>\n
The final act saw the piece lacquered by a Te Aroha contractor.<\/p>\n
Adrian says the sculpture is completely hollow, with its shell 6mm thick.<\/p>\n
As with the Matamata racehorse, he has erred on the side of greater size rather than more normal dimensions for the cow.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe client didn\u2019t specify dimensions, but I always like to go big if possible,\u201d says Adrian. \u201cThey just look more eye-catching.\u201d<\/p>\n
Because of the time and effort involved, he does become attached to such large-scale projects. \u201cIt is hard to let go,\u201d he admits.<\/p>\n
A big music fan, Adrian named the cow \u201cSharona\u201d after a song My Sharona by 1980s band The Knack.<\/p>\n
He is in a \u201cgood space\u201d in the gallery when listening to his favourite industrial rock performers such as Marilyn Manson, Ministry and Nine Inch Nails.<\/p>\n
The 56-year-old grew up in Te Aroha and began \u201cplaying around with bits of pipe, timber, nuts and bolts\u201d in his father\u2019s basement at a young age.<\/p>\n
This extended to making trolleys and motorbikes. \u201cI always just loved making stuff,\u201d says Adrian.<\/p>\n
Rather surprisingly, he didn\u2019t take metalwork or woodwork at college, but did attain an A-plus in art.<\/p>\n
He left secondary school at 15 and worked on a dairy farm near Te Aroha. At 18 he joined a trailer builder in the town, becoming a fitter\/welder.<\/p>\n
Adrian then had a stint with a specialist stainless steel company in Te Aroha, and along the way taught himself woodwork and metalwork, including furniture-making and kitchen fitouts. This saw him go out on his own as a cabinetmaker.<\/p>\n
His first job was a rustic fitout of Ironique Cafe in Te Aroha.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was nothing like that around,\u201d says Adrian. \u201cThe business went ballistic.\u201d<\/p>\n
He operated workshops in Te Aroha and Queenstown, but \u201cpulled back\u201d to concentrate on his signature sculptures.<\/p>\n
First piece <\/p>\n
A motorcycle for an exhibition in Hamilton was his first piece. \u201cThere wasn\u2019t a single motorbike part in it,\u201d says Adrian. \u201cIt was all bits off farms \u2026 fence standards, milking machines and shovels.\u201d<\/p>\n
The inaugural piece sits among a weird and wonderful collection of metal objects and artwork in his gallery.<\/p>\n
Picture a slightly tidier version of Steptoe & Son\u2019s yard from the old classic British TV comedy series.<\/p>\n
Adrian says he loves including items in his sculptures which people can instantly recognise, from hot water cylinders to frying pans and golf clubs.<\/p>\n
Well-categorised<\/p>\n
Despite the deliberately dishevelled appearance, material stored for future projects is well-categorised in Adrian\u2019s workshop.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know where to lay my hands on something when it is needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The need arises when he is commissioned by a client to produce a piece.<\/p>\n
Adrian says this mostly comes from word-of-mouth. He also hosts group tours of his gallery by arrangement.<\/p>\n
By the end of the year Adrian will have completed a bike-stand, including a large bull\u2019s head, as a memorial to a Te Aroha pedigree stud farmer.<\/p>\n
This will be included in his already impressive collection of pieces along Te Aroha\u2019s main street.<\/p>\n
Adrian has also put together a steampunk-themed sculpture \u2013 an octopus in the shape of a penny farthing bicycle \u2013 for the Hauraki Rail Trail in Thames.<\/p>\n
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