Rich Kolb began making whimsical creations from repurposed metal with his father in 1991. Their first effort was a bird, thus the name of their business – Yardbirds, based in Louisville, KY. Rich keeps things lively by continuing to devise new designs made from recycled findings. Perennial favorites are cats, dogs of several breeds and, of course, the birds.

Most of these sculptures are made from bare metal and may rust with age. The artist considers the naturally occurring patina to be part of their beauty. “They’ll rust,” he says, “but they’ll never run away.”