About TheeUpcycler
Hi, I’m David.
I was born in Edmonton, Alberta and raised in Wetaskiwin. As a kid, I could usually be found dismantling anything I could get my hands on, mostly because I wanted to know how it worked and what else it could become.
That instinct never really left.
I’ve spent my life building businesses, building things, and finding ways to put a creative spin on whatever was in front of me. Eventually, that same instinct led me to a pile of discarded metal and a completely different kind of future.
I’ve Always Built Things.
Long before TheeUpCycler existed, I was fascinated by construction, fabrication and figuring things out with my hands.
Throughout my career I worked in a number of industries before opening my first business, Vivid Customs. From there came businesses in landscaping, oilfield servicing and transportation.
The industries changed, but one thing didn’t: I always found a way to use creativity in the work.
Give me something ordinary and my brain immediately starts asking: What else could this be?
Healing Turned Into Art.
In 2018, I was working through some personal obstacles and decided to hire a life coach.
As part of that healing process, I began making small creations from nuts and bolts. Then came cutlery. Then larger pieces. Then ideas that seemed just ridiculous enough to try.
Somewhere along the way I realized discarded metal could become more than scrap. A fork could become a feather. A spoon could become a flower. Hundreds of forgotten pieces could become something people stopped to look at.
That was the beginning of TheeUpCycler.
Find Beauty In What Others Throw Away.
Too many things are discarded before anyone stops to wonder what else they could become.
By working with reclaimed objects, I can reduce waste while turning forgotten materials into pieces with character, humour, movement, personality and a completely different purpose.
But the bigger goal is creativity.
I want people, especially younger artists and makers, to see something made from ordinary scraps and realize they don’t need permission to make something strange, ambitious or completely their own.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of materials do you use?
Do you make custom pieces?
Are you interested in shows, exhibits or collaborations?
Why make art from recycled objects?
Are the pieces copies?
What is TheeZoo?
See What The Scraps Became.
Explore the artwork, visit TheeZoo, or reach out with the custom idea you’ve been carrying around in your head.