Cindy Chinn breathes life into old saws, copper, and brass. She has worked with reclaimed metal for more than a decade, using discarded tools, saw blades, machinery, cutlery, wire, and found objects as both material and inspiration. Her metal work ranges from large-scale figurative sculpture to intimate assemblage, public commissions, and narrative pieces. Rather than disguising the history of these materials, Cindy often allows their original forms, wear, and function to remain visible within the finished work.
SELECTED WORKS
November 2023: After four years, with some stops and starts, I have COMPLETED my life-size metal sculpture of a peacock. Check out this project with more photos and descriptions of the techniques I used.
June 2023: I have finished my 10-foot (3m) tall Scrap Metal Phoenix Fire pit (Available). Check out the video below, or view the ‘making of’ blog page.
In the summer of 2022, I completed a life-sized art sculpture of a Sandhill Crane made mostly from cutlery. You can view my ‘progress’ blog here, and below is the completed piece.
March 2026: Below is a sculpture of a Suri Alpaca made from scrap metal and wire. This was a commission for an alpaca farmer. View the ‘making of’ page here.
September 2024: I worked with the Arts Council of Thayer County to bring an artist from Australia to work on a project. Jo Caminiti and I built this sculpture to honor a local icon who was well-loved for his many avenues of volunteer work. This piece stands about 6-1/2 feet (2m) tall.
Here’s a recent (July 2023) falcon sculpture I made from scrap metal and hand-carved basswood, I’ve also added a little glass and leather to make this a very mixed media project. It was a challenge, but I’m happy with how it turned out. (Available for sale)
Here are three saws I completed for a show in Doha, Qatar:
Doha Skyline Saw Art
Below is a video showing my Blackbird sculpture. It is made from ceramic (body) metal (wings and frame) and glass (background). 24″ Diameter. (Available for sale)
May 2023: I have completed this “Moose” head scrap metal art sculpture, made from metal and hand-carved scrap spalted sycamore. I also made the glass eyes.
Here’s a special saw I made for the Scrap Metal Art Show in Doha, Qatar, in 2019 (it was the first piece sold at the show!).
EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE
I love designing buzzsaw blades and working to build depth and dimension to the design. Here’s a recent blade I made, also for the Doha show.
But I am known for my saws, which I have shipped around the world. Here’s a special design I made for Nebraska’s 150th celebration:
I also enjoy working on large ‘yard art’ and signs. Here’s a piece I made for a local family using some parts that were found on their farmstead.
When I have some ‘spare’ time, I like to create my ‘SawFish’ and add to the series. Here’s a recent one I made (March 2021). This lamplighter fish is named “Geary” as you can crank his fin to make the gears move! The glass lamp also holds tea lights for when he needs to feed. You can view the SawFish gallery here.
I was commissioned to create a number of pieces for a resort in France. Part of the project was making signs to mark where visitors could see certain animals, like porcupines and bears.
I’ve also worked with copper and brass – such as on this large 30′ x 6′ wall sculpture. You can see more photos of it on my blog.
Below are some samples of my metal art, signs, Barnyard Portraits and Saws:
This gallery is not published.Here is a selection of signage I made mostly for Parc Animalier de Sainte Croix in France:
Here’s a video showing me on “Good Day Sacramento” – we talk about my artwork, and specifically my saw art when I auctioned off a fundraiser Fireman saw.
I am available to work with you on your unique commission, large or small. You can view more of my saws and other metal art on my companion site, TheSawLady.com