A California man has taken his talent of creating sculptures for the rich and put it to good use creating tiny homes for the homeless- completely constructed with garbage.
Gregory Kloehn realized that the sculptures he was making for the wealthy would end up just sitting in an expensive home. Rather than continue on that path, he felt that his creations could instead serve a useful purpose to those in need.
“Before I was all about sculpture, but I realized it just sits there. And you’re just peddling it to rich people,” Kloehn told Inside Bay Area .
“I kind of think if you’re putting so much effort into something it would be nice if it did something.”
According to The Huffington Post , Kloehn has built a total of 10 tiny homes so far for the homeless in Oakland. The homes the size of a couch are typically composed of items such as wood pallets and insulated with discarded pizza delivery bags. They are also built with wheels on the bottom, so that they can be moved from place to place.
Kloehn says that the homeless receiving their mini-homes are extremely grateful for the gift, especially on those cold and rainy nights.
“They say this is just night and day, especially when it rains,” Kloehn said. “Once your mattress gets wet, it’s just terrible.”
Unfortunately, a few of the homes that the artist has built to date have not fared so well in their environments. One home was set on fire, another was stolen and a third was sold to someone looking for a doghouse for $80.
Kloehn intends to continue constructing the homes that only take 2-3 days to build, and has noted on his Facebook page that he is open to donations and volunteers .
What do you think of Gregory Kloehn’s incredible shelters that he builds for the homeless?
[Images: D. Ross Cameron and Brian J. Reynolds]
