FROM MY BACKYARD TO YOURS

What inspired me in 2009, an industrial designer in Auckland, to create life-sized native bird silhouettes out of metal?

I loved creating the birds, sure, but the biggest kick I got was from installing them in parks and streets around my neighbourhood (anywhere I thought I wouldn’t get arrested, basically) and seeing the surprise, delight and intrigue they caused.

Once they saw them, people wanted Metalbirds of their own. My little art project became a side hustle then a full-time job, and finally, with a small team, we took Metalbird to the world. The artistic act of tapping a bird into a post or tree and transforming your environment is something that brings joy to people all over the globe.

— Phil Walters, Creator of Metalbird