A passion for all things copper.
‘Copper Poppa’ was originally launched as a hobby. Working in plumbing I’ve always had access to unwanted copper. In my spare time, I would take old hot water systems and Zip heaters and give them a new lease on life, recycling them into garden pots or water features for our own garden. I inherited some of my father’s metal work tools, and I appreciated working with these as I created every new piece.
How it all started
Three years ago, my wife and I were part of the Bay of Plenty Garden and Art festival, selling a small range of copper products. The following year we started attending the Little Big Markets in Mount Maunganui. Gradually the business has grown as people started to commission pieces of artwork. Sometimes clients want me to use their own pieces of copper and upcycle them into a new piece of art. Or they may want to use copper for something more functional and contemporary such as a kitchen splashback, light fitting, outdoor shower or water feature.