“Canbot” on Etsy - Connecting Creativity

The images of brightly-colored “Canbots” lined up (above) are from www.canbot.com - Orson Li, a creative artist working in aluminum (yes, recycled cans) in Hong Kong.

“I hope that Canbot or Canrex will remind people that the power of creativity could transform a valueless soda can into a valuable sculpture. The word of “Can” in Canbot carries two meanings; the first “Can” means it is made from a soda can and the second means that with the power of creativity and determination, you and I can do anything!

- Orson Li, Canbot artist, about his work

In addition to the Web site (which is full of whimsical creations - even a YouTube video and is in Chinese and English), the artist and designer who was born in Hong Kong and raised in the U.S. maintains a storefront on Etsy.

The online business of Etsy is to “enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers.” Etsy makes it easy to purchase items from a global marketplace in a secure environment.

The Etsy community spans more than 150 countries. A host of creative ways to search for interesting items awaits on www.etsy.com - search by color, by description, by materials. Or just browse the wonders in fiber, metal and more.

Etsy’s motto: Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.

Find “Canbot” (and the story of the man behind these cute and vibrantly colorful creations) at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5982723 - prices range from $45 and up for these fun works of art. (Be sure not to miss the turtle, monkey and small birds.)

An excerpt of the Etsy Q&A biography:

What inspired you to make this product?

I was inspired by the interaction of art with recycle. For the design of Canbot (Robot) and Canrex (dinosaur), I have combined the concept of origami and sculpture to create a figure that is built entirely using origami skills (no screws or glue are used) to create a 3-D object. The material I selected is from the soda can which is made of aluminum. Blending the graphics and colors of each soda can create unlimited versions of Canbot and Canrex. Also the use of soda can fits the idea of “recycling.”

“For the design of Canbot (Robot) and CanRex (dinosaur), I have combined the concept of origami and sculpture . . .”

Images, www.Canbot.com