A paint-by-numbers kit ultimately led 86-year-old Thomas Fowler of Columbia to discover his creativity.
Shortly after trying his own hand -- minus the numbers -- at several paintings, Mr. Fowler traded his paintbrush for a soldering iron.
Now several tin sculptures of horses, outdoor cafes, covered bridges and seaports line the walls of his living room at the Vantage House Retirement Community.
"Since I had been a mechanic, I thought it would be a fun hobby," said Mr. Fowler, a retired business machine repairman. Besides, he had a penchant for recycling and a stash of cans that he thought would "come in handy."
He started his first piece -- a covered bridge scene -- in the basement of his former home in Washington, D.C., in the early 1970s.
His model was a magazine picture of a covered bridge that reminded him of the ones he had seen while living in New England with his wife, Gwendolyn, who died in 1979.
His copper-colored bridge -- twisted and shaped from the 6-inch tops of large metal food cans -- is the focal point in a 12-by-18-inch scene that includes stark-looking trees and feathery bushes.
"It was just what the doctor ordered," said Mr. Fowler, who was surprised at the outcome.
Other fond memories steered his efforts. "My wife and I went to Liverpool and Paris, and while there, visited several sidewalk cafes," he said.
In one of his sculptures of an outdoor cafe, 22 tiny metal chairs -- curled into shape with a broom handle -- are placed around eight tables made from the lids of pop-top soda cans.
Such painstaking works can take from one to two months to complete, depending on the intricacy of the project.
Mr. Fowler works each day, usually at a makeshift workbench in the his living room.
Other subjects include a galloping horse with a flowing mane that was created for one of Mr. Fowler's daughters, who is an equestrian.
Sailboats and seaports depict Mr. Fowler's fondness for seafaring activities.
"Coming from Liverpool, I'm partial to seaports," said Mr. Fowler, who moved to Boston in 1929.
Always on the lookout for new projects, the artist also created two models of antique cars that he copied from plans in Popular Mechanics magazine.
Mr. Fowler's talent and ingenuity are not a surprise to his daughters.
"My father has always been the kind of person who will see something and say, 'Hey, I can do that,' " said Janice Butt, 44, a resident of Great Falls, Va.
"When we were kids, if the wires of our braces cut loose, my father would fix them; we never had to return to the orthodontist," she said.
Mr. Fowler is working on another outdoor cafe scene, which he plans to give to a friend. Although cafes are a favorite subject, he says no two are alike.
He shows little interest in painting, the medium that stirred his creative juices.
"It woke up what was sleeping," he said.
Although Mr. Fowler has never tried to sell his creations, those who have seen them are impressed.
"When I visited Mr. Fowler's apartment, I was amazed to see these wonderful sculptures," said Marcia Burgoon, marketing consultant for the Vantage House Retirement Community.
"The cafes are so intricate and obviously require a great deal of patience, a steady hand and good eyesight," she said.
"We still think that people come to retirement communities to grow old. In reality, it's an opportunity to pursue interests they may not have had the time to develop before."
Neighbor Thelma Horacek said: "He is quiet but talented and is the most fascinating person I know. He thinks things up and does them."