He Makes Scrap Animals

1992 - Volume #16, Issue #5, Page #18

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If you ever drive by Robert Cumpston's farmyard near Colfax, Ill., you'll get an idea of what Noah's ark must have looked like. At first glance it looks like just about every animal on earth is represented in the collection of life-size animals in his yard. And every one is made out of scrapped farm machinery parts.
Cumpston retired from farming in 1981 to spend full time on his hobby-turnedprofession. He's made reindeer, llamas, pigs, chickens, sheep, giraffes, tropical birds and many more - even including rare species like the "sparse-haired aardvark". He makes both life-sized animals and miniatures.
The 62-year-old farm artist started tinkering with scrap metal in 1967. When his creations started selling briskly at local art shows, he began spending more time on them until he finally ran out of time to farm.
Cumpston buys scrapped farm machinery by the truckload, turning anhydrous knives into legs of sheep; coil springs into wool; corn planter skid plates into bills on birds; grain rakes into eyelashes; lag screws into feet; cup nuts into eyes; and cultivator sweeps into pig ears. All parts are neatly separated into like parts and stacked to await selection for the next creation.
By 1981, Cumpston's work was being featured at art shows from coast to coast, selling at prices from $25 to $6,000. That's when he decided to devote full time to it with his wife Donna handling the business aspects, such as bookkeeping and submitting applications to art shows.
Today, the ex-farmer's animal art is sold both at shows and at 10 art galleries through-out the Midwest.
Cumpston is probably one of only a few artists who needs fork lifts to move his huge masterpieces when they're complete. A shaggy-wooled sheep weighs 220 lbs. and a baby giraffe, which stands about 9 ft., weighs 330 lbs. A lifesize giraffe, which stands 16 ft. from hoof to crown, can weigh a ton or more.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Robert Cumpston, Colfax, Ill. 61728.

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He makes scrap animals AG WORLD Ag World 16-5-18 If you ever drive by Robert Cumpston's farmyard near Colfax, Ill., you'll get an idea of what Noah's ark must have looked like. At first glance it looks like just about every animal on earth is represented in the collection of life-size animals in his yard. And every one is made out of scrapped farm machinery parts. Cumpston retired from farming in 1981 to spend full time on his hobby-turnedprofession. He's made reindeer, llamas, pigs, chickens, sheep, giraffes, tropical birds and many more - even including rare species like the "sparse-haired aardvark". He makes both life-sized animals and miniatures. The 62-year-old farm artist started tinkering with scrap metal in 1967. When his creations started selling briskly at local art shows, he began spending more time on them until he finally ran out of time to farm. Cumpston buys scrapped farm machinery by the truckload, turning anhydrous knives into legs of sheep; coil springs into wool; corn planter skid plates into bills on birds; grain rakes into eyelashes; lag screws into feet; cup nuts into eyes; and cultivator sweeps into pig ears. All parts are neatly separated into like parts and stacked to await selection for the next creation. By 1981, Cumpston's work was being featured at art shows from coast to coast, selling at prices from $25 to $6,000. That's when he decided to devote full time to it with his wife Donna handling the business aspects, such as bookkeeping and submitting applications to art shows. Today, the ex-farmer's animal art is sold both at shows and at 10 art galleries through-out the Midwest. Cumpston is probably one of only a few artists who needs fork lifts to move his huge masterpieces when they're complete. A shaggy-wooled sheep weighs 220 lbs. and a baby giraffe, which stands about 9 ft., weighs 330 lbs. A lifesize giraffe, which stands 16 ft. from hoof to crown, can weigh a ton or more. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Robert Cumpston, Colfax, Ill. 61728.

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