Celestial Friends Oil Drum Wall Art

The Process of Making Oil Drum Wall Art

Using old steel oil drums from the nearby city of Port-au-Prince, artists get their metal “canvas” by first burning the metal in a dry banana leaf fire (to clean off debris), then cutting the drum from top to bottom, working the drum open using their weight, and finally pounding the piece flat with a hammer.

The real artistic process begins after all that work, when complex patterns are drawn onto the metal with chalk and carved out, using such simple tools as a hammer and chisel.  The final touches are added using a steel brush, to shine the metal, and a topcoat of rust preventative to ensure the work can stand the test of time!