Thee Upcycler doing more than sculpting cutlery

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A local man has taken his talent for creating works of art along the path of a healing journey while keeping metal out of the landfill. 

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David McAuley said a number of years ago he was going through a divorce and needed to do something with his time. 

The welder from Wetaskiwin spent two decades self-employed in the manufacturing business before rediscovering his passion for art. 

He started by creating small sculptures like turtles and hummingbirds out of cutlery before a house fire put his artistic plans on hold. 

“May 19, 2019, I lost everything to a house fire. Everything was just gone.” 

Everything, except a few small projects and the wire skeleton of a bear. 

Those small sculptures and a five-foot-long, three-feet wide mother bear and her cub are now part of TheeZoo display at his home workshop and gallery between Falun and Pipestone on Hwy. 795. 

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Recently hosting a garage sale it was not only an opportunity to clear out some things but also gave the public an opportunity to see sculptures made completely from items that would otherwise have ended up in a landfill, he said.

“I probably have the Guinness record for spoons, but it isn’t official,” he said.

McAuley said he was drawn to using cutlery because he noticed there was a lot available, making it cheaper to acquire than scrap metals which made his artistic goals more sustainable. He discovered, however, that forks were tougher to get. 

“I basically cleaned out Edmonton’s thrift stores of all their forks,” he said, but he also found a way to help others. 

“I partnered with GoodWill to get their utensils,” he said. 

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Partnering with the thrift store, which also employs people with disabilities, is not only part of his own healing journey but also helping others be successful in their lives. 

“This helps with their goal to be zero emitters and provides gainful employment to people.” 

Launching a social media presence has increased his visibility and makes it possible for him to do what he loves in Canada, saying a lot of artists have relocated to the United States to increase their commercial viability. He currently has two million followers on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, 400,000 on Facebook alone. Monetizing his social media presence helps him pay the bills so he can continue to be a full-time artist, he said. 

“I’m fortunate that I’ve had a great professional life that allows me to be in this position now.” 

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Being able to keep the lights on using social media also means he can focus on another part of his healing and artistic journey; his heart semicolon necklaces. 

In the realm of punctuation, the semicolon represents a pause in a thought. In mental health, it also represents a pause, not an ending. 

“It signifies the choice to continue one’s story, even in the face of adversity,” said McAuley. 

After a friend committed suicide, McAuley created hundreds of the necklaces and took them to the funeral to give to fellow mourners. They can be bought on his website, but McAuley said he probably gives away more than he sells because he wants people to think about their mental health. Each of the necklaces comes with a card with a note to remind people at least one person is thinking about them; 

“Thank you for being an inspiration to me, for your courage in prioritizing your mental health and for joining me in this sustainable journey. Together, let’s continue to pave a path towards a more conscious and compassionate world.” 

Check out TheeUpcycler at theeupcycler.com, on Facebook and Instagram, or take the drive out to TheeZoo. 

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