Patrick Amiot’s yard in Sebastopol is full of his junk art. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Babe Ruth, Batman and a mermaid all live on the same street in Sebastopol.

So do a lot of other sculptures that aren’t as easily identifiable.

These are all the artistic creations of Patrick Amiot and Brigitte Laurent. He designs what he calls “junk art” and she paints these works used from scrap metal.

On both sides of Florence Street in this Sonoma County town creative pieces of art adorn front yards.

A creature that looks like something out of Alice in Wonderland is in one front yard. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

On his website Amiot writes, “The whole purpose of my work is to glorify these objects, because they have their own spirit. When a hubcap has traveled on a truck for millions of miles, and has seen the prairies in the winter and the hot summer asphalt, when it’s done traveling with that truck and finds itself in the scrap yard and I find it, I kind of like to use that. This hubcap, or whatever piece of metal, from the day it was manufactured until now, has an important history. And I like to think the spirit of all these things lived incredible lives. If they could talk to you, they could tell amazing stories. That’s something I don’t want to hide.”

The crow bar–is this a nod to a bar owner or someone who uses a crowbar at his or her job? (Image: Kathryn Reed)

When he first erected a 14-foot-tall fisherman in his front yard more than 20 years ago Amiot expected outraged neighbors. Instead he was met with applause from people who asked for more.

While many people on his street have one of his works of art, his home is easy to spot because it has multiple pieces. In particular I liked the taco truck.

Farther down the street was a bit of irony with a Volkswagen parked in the driveway and sculpture in the yard of a man driving a VW Bug.

Once a motorcyclist always a motorcyclist. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Some of the renderings are tall, some small. Just a guess, but I would imagine each reflects something about the person who lives there. There is a baseball catcher in San Francisco Giants colors, but it was hard to tell if that was supposed to be Buster Posey. Then there are two guys sitting in Adirondack chairs outside of a camper. A cow is driving a tractor; does a farmer live there? I chuckled at the group of crows sitting at the bar.

One can only imagine the fun Amiot must have in creating these works of arts.

If you are in Sebastopol, a drive down Florence Street is sure to bring a smile to your face. Or better yet, park where you can and meander a bit to feel more immersed in all this creativity.