SAM Ehrlich is never happier than when he’s rummaging through someone else’s rubbish.
He makes a living out of sorting through council skips, sifting people’s junk and reclaiming old furniture that no one else wants.
And, with all these bits of scrap he creates beautifully crafted desks and cabinets, hand-made clocks and even bespoke kitchen units, which are now sold throughout Spain.
‘I guess it’s the right thing to be doing in this climate. Recycling is always good,’ he says. But Sam began his work long before the current slump, setting up his business Treasures from Wasteland back in 2007.
He was inspired after returning to live in his country of birth after many years overseas and is now settled near Gaucin, in Andalucia.
‘I found that most of the villages round here had these white containers where the Spanish locals were just throwing out their old stuff. They tend to favour modern Ikea chipboard furniture so lots of good materials just get chucked.’
And now that people are aware of Sam’s work, they are taking their unwanted bits of furniture to him, rather than discarding them.
‘They offer me old cupboards, shutters, doors and broken machines. I even got a rabbit hutch. I get first refusal on their junk.
‘Rubbish is the most inspiring thing for me. It opens up your mind to what can be done.’
Website: www.treasuresfromwasteland.com
Tel: 677 394 622
