Sunderland designer creates incredible Elvis Presley artwork made out of 12,500 screws

Sunderland artist Darren Timby has created the unique Elvis Presley artwork as another tribute to his dad who passed away last year – with the portrait set to go on display.

By Ryan Smith

13th Jul 2021, 1:12pm - 2 min read

Darren’s latest piece, picturing the King of Rock and Roll consists of around 12,500 screws, measures in at 6ft by 4ft and weighs approximately nine stone.

After working on it for three months, the design is set to go on display at the Pigment and Toil gallery in The Bridges Shopping Centre on Tuesday, July 13 alongside his Marilyn Monroe artwork.

Both designs are tributes to Darren’s dad Billy who sadly passed away in January, aged 77, of heart failure.

The artwork will be displayed alongside Darren's Marilyn Monroe piece which he finished last year.

Graphic designer Darren, from Roker, has revealed that Elvis was a popular choice on social media for him to create as his next piece and even managed to complete it in half the time that he took on Marilyn Monroe.

The 39-year-old said: “Obviously my dad was a big fan of Marilyn Monroe but he was an even bigger fan of Elvis Presley, two of his three funeral songs were by Elvis.

"He would always say that he was the North East’s answer to Elvis so I put a request out on social media to ask people what I should do next and this was the most popular request.

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Made of around 12,500 screws, the artwork took Darren three months of complete.

"I’ve been able to get this one completed much quicker than Marilyn, in total it has been about three months from concept to completion.”

Darren, who lives with his partner Sarah and daughter Belle along with being dad to son Luke, has received positive feedback from the gallery for his Marilyn piece and is looking forward to the public seeing his latest creation.

He added: “The gallery have had so much good feedback about Marilyn as it is such a conversation piece so it is fantastic that Elvis will be going alongside it.

"I can’t thank everyone at Pigment and Toil enough for all their support with everything that I’ve done.

Darren has created the piece as a tribute to his dad Billy, who passed away last year.

"Elvis will be delivered on Tuesday and then it will be available to be seen by the public from midday on Wednesday, I can’t wait.”

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The piece is set to go on display at Pigment and Toil in The Bridges, Sunderland.

Billy Sunderland