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Mike Garrett was spending more and more time away from home last December. His wife Sue was none too pleased. Garrett found he had to make up excuses, but he said his lies started to overlap and contradict one another.

Then on Christmas morning, it became clear. Garrett had secreted away hours to rework scrap metal into a covered wagon plant holder.

His wife fell in love with the hefty, homemade gift and decided to put it inside, because she thought it was too nice for a yard decoration. Garrett had labored over small details such as a round barrel, toolbox and functional brake.

Garrett's family recognized his artistic talent when he was a young boy.

His grandmother pushed him to go to art college, but stories of starving artists scared him, he said. His practical side won out and he became a mechanic. But six years later, the Craig native had had enough of repairing cars.

"I was burned out. I wanted out of it," Garrett said. "It just wasn't me I guess."

He took a job at Colowyo Coal Co. in 1996 and has worked there since.

Four years ago, he dusted off his welding skills and fabricated a John Deere tractor doorstop for his uncle.

That's when he realized how much he enjoyed creating scrap metal sculptures.

He enjoys it so much that even his asthma, which the smoke aggravates, doesn't deter him.

He built bumpers and tailgates for family and friends, but said that's not his passion.

There are others locally who specialize in tailgates and bumpers and Garrett said, he prefers not to step on anybody's toes.

"I want to do my own thing, something that no one else is doing," he said.

Unlike a majority of scrap metal art, Garrett's pieces are three-dimensional.

Four months ago he presented his parents with an Indian headdress sculpture and several weeks ago he installed a covered wagon mailbox in front of his home. He prefers to work with older scrap metal, he said.

"The rustier, the better," he said adding that he likes the rustic look.

Rusty Mosher also likes the rustic look. Mosher owns Riverdance RV Resort near Gypsum and has commissioned Garrett to build a covered wagon mailbox and a sign for the park.

"It's original looking, not something that's just pressed out of a machine," Mosher said.

Mosher who said he met Garrett three weeks ago already is a big fan.

"It's his individual talent and his individual perception and how he creates, that makes (the sculptures) very unique. I think he's very, very good."

In parting Mosher advised, "You better buy his pieces before he becomes famous and you can't afford them anymore."

Michelle Wallar can be reached at 824-7031.