Artist Gary Hovey welded his first flatware animal sculpture back in 2004.
Gary says that his sculptures are about things that he enjoys, "wildlife, welding, and humor."
He feels that "different patterns in flatware add texture and interest" to his pieces.
He can only use only stainless steel flatware because of the welding process.
Silver melts at a much lower temperature than stainless steel, so it gets destroyed by the high heat.
Gary's dad sends him most of the spoons, knives, and forks from Oklahoma.
He scours flea markets and garage sales, and ships the cutlery to Gary.
Gary jokes on his website, "Our gratitude and sympathy to the USPS, especially our local mail delivery."
Gary was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1994.
He says that producing the work is therapeutic for him, though it has become increasingly difficult.
The time he spends on each sculpture varies from hours to months, depending on the size and detail.
But they all have one thing in common: they're flat-out awesome.
