REFIND WORKS

With piles of discarded industrial and agricultural steel sitting around, it may have the resemblance of a junk collector. But for Brian Quail it is better than junk as he turns one man’s trash into another man’s treasure.

Quail’s trash pile consists of parts from the body panel of a 1930’s Chevrolet, farm scrap, digger shovels, fence posts, old wrenches and other misc. parts and pieces. He reassembles the trash into sculpture art.

“I have friends who are scrappers, and they save me pieces,” he said, noting he loves to use old farm equipment, most of which is given to him, though he purchases some of it. “I’m picky about what I look for. It has to have character.”

For Quail, it’s a celebration of craftsmanship, resilience and the beauty found in transformation.

Quail primarily focuses on wildlife with some of his more popular pieces being white tail deer, birds of prey, fish and eagles. One of his sculptures featured an exhaust pipe which led to the formation of an elephant.

“One piece is usually what inspires the rest,” he said.

He has crafted a guardian angel, which has been his largest sculpture to date at 10 by 12 feet. Quail used sidewall sheets from grain bins for the angel.

After working in metal fabrication and grain bin construction for many years, Quail became a full-time sculptor three years ago. “It just clicked. I started putting pieces together and it looked like something,” he said. 

His first piece was a whitetail deer, which was accepted as part of the Minnesota State Fair’s art show. Among the parts featured on the deer are plow blades, lawn mower blade, old rake, horseshoe, tin snips, fence post, rotary rake, handles from machinery and shovels. “I try to do it all symmetrical, so it matches,” he said.

He has his eye on sculpting a big mosquito with an 8-foot body later this summer.

“I like to focus on bigger sculptures that last forever,” Quail said.

The self-taught sculptor describes himself as “always being kind of artsy.” He remembers being inspired by outdoor life magazines from his father where he would take them and draw art.

“Art has always been a constant in my life,” said Quail, who grew up in South Dakota and moved to Minnesota about 20 years ago. “As a kid, I filled sketchbooks with wildlife from the magazines. Today, I’m still drawn to the beauty hidden in everyday objects: the textures, the colors, the layers—the things that most people overlook.”

Quail said his work brings those overlooked elements to life. Every sculpture begins with forgotten metal: discarded gears, pipes, chains and industrial scraps. Many of the scrap items are 80 to 90 years old, and Quail leaves them in their natural condition. “I like it when they rust,” he added.

“I collect these worn, abandoned pieces and transform them into expressive works of art,” Quail said. “In my hands, scrap metal is reborn—rebuilt into something meaningful, powerful and unexpected.”

On his farm located west of Owatonna, Quail utilizes a small shop to reborn the scrap metal, most of which is done by hand. He uses basic hand tools, grinders and a welder to achieve his metal sculptures. He often works for 14 hours or more per day with one piece taking up to six full days.

“No two pieces are alike,” he said. “I use different parts and pieces on each one. Each sculpture carries the marks of its former life and the intention of its transformation. It’s a lot of work. It’s not as easy as it looks.”

Quail said he has developed a customer base of higher end professionals, including doctors, bankers and investors. He has found many of his clients have a connection to the farm and come from rural backgrounds, though they may not currently live in the country. They often make purchases as outdoor art for summer cabins or other venues.

Most of the sculptures range from $2,500 to $14,000. He also makes some smaller pieces for indoors. “It’s a niche market,” he said, adding he does commission work for clients who want something specific. “There are a lot of people out there that buy art and appreciate it.”

He has a large inventory of sculptures for sale on his website at www.refindworks.com.

His most unique piece has been a Native American sculpture featuring old license plates from the 1920s and 30s.

Quail thrives on “taking old parts and turning them into something else that people can recognize.” For Quail, sculpture art is relaxing. He is thrilled to have made the leap from “construction guy” to sculptor. “I never thought I would be a sculptor,” he said.

Quail’s work is currently on display at the Waseca Art Center through July 24. One of the pieces featured in the exhibition is a cat’s claw from pry bar.

“Each piece I do is getting better and better,” Quail said. “It a tough crowd and tough market. You have to find that one person.”