MAN CREATES LIFE-SIZED CAT MEN SCULPTURES WITH DISCARDED FUR AND HIDES THEM IN THE FOREST

Art comes in many forms.

And the way the creative mind works is a sight to behold.

Inspiration can come from anywhere. From nature to people to even household pets, the possibilities in artist expression are endless.

This couldn’t be more true for Tony Abbott, 37, from South Australia, who describes himself as a ‘traveller and collector’.

Over the past decade, he has been living a nomad style life in his van.

‘I have been just drifting through cities and towns and lots of deserts,’ he tells Metro.co.uk. ‘Meeting all sorts and going where the wind takes me.

His lifestyle means artistry could be found in every corner and moment, and now his ingenuity has taken the form of three life-sized cat men sculptures made out of discarded cat hair.

The sculptures took almost two years to make and were a long-term project for Tony.

‘The inspiration for the sculptures came from my dreams,’ he says. ‘They’d visit me in my sleep. Then sometimes in the day, I could sense them. Sometimes, I’d even think I saw one in the shadows or rustling leaves. They became an obsession, and now they’re here.’

To collect the amount of cat hair needed, Tony has to utilise several different sources.

‘There are many ways to obtain cat hair,’ he explains. ‘Sadly, the side of the road is one as our desert highways are lined with dead animals.

‘It’s an unfortunate situation. Once you have [a dead cat], it’s as easy as plucking a chicken – just put it in boiling water, and the hair simply comes out.

‘Pet brushes have also been a source as people have been willing to save the hair for me.’

He continues: ‘I’m a collector by nature. I collect all sorts of things all the time, like shells, rocks, crystals, leaves, bottle caps, cans, dead insects, bones and pelts.

‘The scent of cat hair is great for repelling mice, so I had some saved up before the cat men came to me. I can’t really say exactly how long it was, but I do still have plenty left over.’

After Tony collected enough hair, it was time to needle felt it into a form and create the sculptures.

Having put so much time and effort into the project, he is now taking some time to figure out what is next for the cat men.

‘I need some time to figure that out,’ he explains. ‘They wanted to be seen, now they have been seen. I need time to look at them and contemplate them. They will tell me.

‘I feel they communicate a truth, and the right people will just get it.’

However, this is not the end for Tony’s cat sculptures. His next move is to go bigger and better and expand on the world he has created. He may even go on to create a practical structure.

‘I want to create larger forms, a giant cat or even a dwelling,’ he says. ‘Cat hair is actually fantastic insulation and can also be very strong when felted tightly, like rope.

‘If felted right and treated with water repellent, it can be very durable, more so than timber or something like that.

‘These are still just ideas at this stage, but who knows!’