‘Some of them have little souls’: B.C. man transforms discarded objects into creative characters

Ian Baker transforms random bits of junk into quirky characters.

VICTORIA, B.C. — While he regularly rummages around the back of thrift stores looking for random things, Ian Baker is specifically searching for inspiration.

“The worse condition, almost the better,” Ian says after pulling old parts from an outdated machine off a shelf. “It’s a little bit exciting because I know there’s potential for this item.”

Although this basement is full of his finds, from old vacuum cleaners to vintage ice cream scoops, Ian never has a plan for the pieces.

“You just start grabbing parts,” Ian says. “And see what fits together.”

And even though none of the items were designed to align, Ian can always find a creative way to connect them.

“It’s just play, basically,” Ian says.

And once he adds eyeballs to his creations, they seem to come to life.

“Some of them have little souls,” Ian says. “It’s joy. You just feel like you’ve almost birthed something.”

And like the pride parents feels for their children, Ian can boast that his creatures have grown up to become airplane pilots, race-car drivers, musicians and baseball players.

“It’s always cool to bring them together,” Ian says, and points to some of the more than 100 characters he’s constructed. “It’s almost like a family.”

And like all family, its members lives will inevitably take unexpected turns.

“It’s funny I have all these eyeballs around me,” Ian says, before recalling how it felt when he suddenly started losing his vision. “It’s scary. It’s like having the rug pulled out for under you.”

But like the best families, they rally around those in need.

“I forced myself to get down in (my workshop) and see what happens,” Ian says. “And just about every time it would pull me out of that dark state, and it gets you in a place where things become purposeful again.”

Like Ian showed all that discarded and dismissed stuff a dynamic new way to be, they’ve shown him that despite deteriorating sight — there’s still so much positivity to see.

“It forces you to look at what you have as opposed to what you don’t,” Ian says.

And one of the things Ian has is the ability to turn junk destined for the landfill into characters who remind us just how whimsical our world can be.

“It’s an appreciation for what we have,” Ian says. “We are so fortunate.”