TUCSON, Ariz. — Walking in Ned Egen’s front yard is akin to walking into a metal jungle. It appears that almost every species in the animal kingdom has been turned into a metal sculpture.

From Venus flytraps to dinosaurs to mythical creatures, it would take days to appreciate every creation that surrounds the Egen house, 2233 E. Hawthorne St.

“When I’m home I work at least 40 hours a week,” Egen said. “Normally seven days a week. Every day I weld is a good one. I don’t feel right when I’m not working.”

Egen, now 65, worked for 25 years with the University of Arizona chemistry and pharmacology departments. He retired when he was 54 years old as a research assistant professor.

Although Egen’s passion for the past 25 years has been welding, he described his first encounter with the art as a random occurrence.

“I had a 10-ton collection of scrap metal for no particular reason other than I had an obsession with scrap metal,” said Egen, who used his welder for practical items such as repairing a stove and building security bars for his windows. “For some strange reason on my 40th birthday I went outside, picked up the welder, looked at the metal pile and just started fooling around. I ended up making three big flowers the first day.”

Since then Egen has not looked back as he estimates his house is surrounded by 600 of his welded creations.

His art is made of all types of scrap metal, from used car parts to old railroad spikes to other junk metal he finds in the streets.

Egen would often fill his pickup truck with metal or just cruise around Tucson looking for scrap metal.

“He brought one ton of metal with us when we moved to Tucson from Connecticut,” said Egen’s wife, Su. “His collection grew to 10 tons, but it never bothered me because he kept it in the back of the backyard.”

Su has been supportive of Ned’s entire artistic career as she herself is an artist who works with woven tapestries and optical illusions.

“I love all his work, the weirder the better,” Su said. “Sometimes I’ll give him advice. I usually like more detailed work. A lot of times he’ll reject it at first, then he will end up using it later.

“Oftentimes he’ll just take a piece of metal and see where it goes. Other times he’ll have a rough idea of what he wants to make drawn up. He really loves doing it.”

Some of Egen's more peculiar art involves dogs urinating on a fire hydrant and creatures that appear to have come to life from a children’s fantasy book. He also created a tribute to Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Ram's Head White Hollyhock and Little Hills” painting by turning a metal bedpan into a steer’s head.

Egen said his house has become a tourist destination in Tucson as he’s had visitors from all over the world peruse his front yard. His 1957 Chevrolet pickup truck is also famous because of the wild metal critters he has welded on to its exterior.

“The truck was old when I bought it in 1973,” Egen said. “I always get smiles and waves when I drive it.”

He added that one time he was pulled over for a minor traffic violation and after hassling Egen for some time the police officer admitted he only pulled Egen over to admire his truck.

Aside from turning junk scrap metal into beautiful art, perhaps Egen's greatest achievement is owning a self-maintaining garden and zoo.

“I have an outdoor steel garden and menagerie, requiring no food or water, which blooms in the southwestern desert sun,” Egen said.