As Sam Steel opens another container-load of hand-made sculptures, she knows a group of families in South Africa will benefit from her fast-growing ‘hobby'.

Sam and husband Steve built a home on Joyce Rd, Pyes Pa, and wanted sculptures for the garden.

'I couldn't find anything here that suited – so we thought we'd get a container-load from South Africa, and sell half of the items to pay the freight.”

'That was four years ago – we're now planning to import our 19th container of sculptures from South Africa,” says Sam, who owns Art of Outdoors – which has an open weekend display this March 11-12 at her at 208 Joyce Rd property.

Sam was born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and left while still in primary school. 'But I have roots back there – and I knew of this talented group of artists.” She asked them to craft the first container of sculptures in September 2019. 'It took them two months to make them – that gave them two months' solid work.” The sculptors, mostly Zimbabweans who have fled their own country, appreciated the income; Sam's Kiwi customers appreciated the art.

The ‘hobby' carried on.

Creative and affordable

The aim is to make charming, creative sculptures of all sizes to sell at affordable prices in NZ.

First, Sam designs a sculpture and sends through sketches. 'It's very much a joint effort – I try to come up with things that will appeal to the NZ market and they make me a prototype and send pictures and video clips of it. I scrutinise and ask for tweaks or changes. Then I order so many – depending on size.”

Once arrived, Sam does any colour work for painted pieces, repairs, and coats the art in marine varnish. The artists also send her their ideas.

'These guys come up with amazing sculptures of Springbok, lions, elephants and rhinos – unbelievably incredible stuff. If I think it will sell in NZ, I order those too.” Sam admits the artists do have a chuckle as they mould unknown birds and creatures such as kiwi and crayfish, which they've never seen in real life. 'But if you look at their kiwi sculptures, they've nailed it! Same with fantails, tui and kereru. I really appreciate their skill.”

Changing lives

The sculptures are made from scrap metal found in scrap yards and suchlike. 'Big steampunk pieces are made from bolts, car parts, padlocks etc while smaller and hollow sculptures are made from old steel oil drums the artists work into shape.”

Sam estimates 15-17 people work on each order – and hail from the team leader's village and extended family. 'They are self-taught and very talented.”

Covid-19 has decimated the South African economy, leaving many without jobs, says Sam.

'In South Africa there is no welfare system to fall back on – if the artists weren't working on the sculptures, they wouldn't be earning or feeding their families. They'd otherwise be destitute.” She gets messages from them. 'My baby was sick and I was able to afford to take her to the doctor.”

'We were able to pay for our teenage daughter's entire first year at university from one order.”

The messages keep Sam going. 'It's grown much bigger than I ever anticipated. My husband keeps saying: ‘Look, this has gotten out of hand...' as he's my ‘muscle' to carry sculptures out of containers and onto the lawn for open days while working full-time – but I can't stop this now because I know it's changing lives.”

Sam says Art of Outdoors charges wholesale prices direct to the public. 'We're not interested in making massive profits – for us, it's about the volume of work we can generate for the team back in South Africa. For this reason we don't have a shop or gallery – as we don't want to increase our overheads.” That's why Sam holds open weekends, where Sam and Steve place all the sculptures on their lawn for people view in their own time. An open weekend is from 10am-3pm on March 11-12 at 208 Joyce Rd.