TYRA WARREN
A retired East London gentleman has taken his boredom and turned it into something very creative, taking things we see as trash and turning them into pieces of art.
Anthony Stewart Lee, 64, is a resident at The Manor House in Southernwood. Here he spends most of his time working on various scale models that he makes out of matchsticks. He officially started this hobby in 2017 and hasn’t stopped since. To date, he has created 14 models ranging from ships, aeroplanes to scale models of buildings.
On average it takes him two and a half to three months to complete one scale model. Anthony gets his resources like his matchsticks from the supermarket. The only other things he needs are wood glue, small amounts of paint, bits and bobs he finds laying around, and of course a lot of patience.
The sense of achievement and knowing that he can create such amazing models out of things most people would throw away is what he finds most rewarding about what he does.
Many have asked him why he does not sell his scale models, but after spending so much time and effort working on each piece it is difficult to let them go.
It just goes to show what can happen when we embrace that we all have the potential to create something amazing if we just put our minds to it and try. We do not need to spend a lot of money to spark some joy in life.
