Designs From the Scrapheap Matthew Schmor It is amazing the things you can find in a heap of scrap metal. Plate steel, decaying industrial machinery, oil rig valves, meat hooks and old farm equipment just to name a few treasures. I use the word treasures, because that is how I have come to view the waste material of our industrial society. Over the past summer I spent many hours digging through scrap yards, carting home anything that piqued my interest. My garage now contains a fair collection of plate steel, rod, farm equipment and general garbage. From these items and the help of the EVDS shop technicians, I produced various household products, with the intention of retaining the natural finish, feeling and identity of the original objects. Examples are steel picture frames fashioned from plate steel and MDF; standing floor lamps; wall mounted lamps; and wall sconces, all manufactured from discarded cultivation disks. Most of the items produced have become permanent fixtures in the homes of family and friends. However, I was fortunate to receive a contract from the local restaurant, the 4th St. Rose, for four wall sconces.

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