Where some see junk, Sam Steffey eyes opportunities to create something beautiful

What do blueberry cobbler and scrap metal have in common? They were key ingredients in bringing together a couple who’ve melded their diverse interests into a recipe for success.

So if you happen upon the little unassuming Valdese roadside business called Sam’s Recycled Art Gallery, don’t be surprised if you smell chicken and cornbread when you walk through the door. The showroom for Sam Steffey’s unique creations is also home to his wife Elizabeth’s restaurant, The Picnic Basket.

The couple met when both were vendors at a Butterfly Festival in Hudson. Liz was selling blackberry cobbler and Sam was at the event with his unique metal sculptures. They became fast friends and eventually married. The union has provided an uncommon theme for their business. Sam’s Recycled Art Gallery and The Picnic Basket share a space at 4575 Lakeview Acres Road, between Drexel and Valdese. 

Those wanting to visit the showroom will have to take a bit of a detour off the beaten path. “A lot of people are surprised when they find us,” Liz said. She said the business has a lot of ‘move through’ traffic, folks who stop by as they’re traveling off of U.S. 70 to McGalliard Falls or Lakeside Park. Liz said most first-time guests are surprised when they walk into the shop.

“People say ‘I had no idea you were here,’” Liz said. “It's a place you have to want to come.”

Sam’s gallery is bright and colorful with a decidedly happy vibe. According to Liz, her husband  has a unique talent for seeing beauty where others may see “junk.” 

“Sam is an amazing foreseer,” Liz said. “He takes a pile of this and that and sees what he calls  ‘progress’ in this hot mess on his workstation.” A machinist and fabricator by trade, Sam has had an artistic flair since he was young. “He still works full time,” Liz said. “This is his fun.

“He’s got 7 brains,” she stated. “He has a husband brain and a family brain, he’s got the art brain and the machine brain. It never stops.”

According to his wife, Sam taught himself to weld and became a master at machining, working with wood in addition to metal. “Everything he does, he excels at,” Liz stated. She says Sam can look at almost anything and see a creative finished product. 

The gallery is filled with whimsical pieces, primarily animal and nature-inspired. Recently, Sam crafted a gypsy from an old scuba tank. “A guy drove all the way from Lincolnton to buy it as a retirement gift,” Liz said. “They (the purchaser) have about 15 pieces of our art. One lady has more than 100 of our pieces down at the lake,” she added. 

Liz said Sam works on commission and has completed several pieces for local businesses, government agencies, and even a church. He created the large flower bouquets and flower umbrellas for Myra’s in Valdese and made a 32-foot balloon sculpture at the Waldensian Church. 

A recent masterpiece was a stunning metal eagle with a 24-foot wingspan. The creation took almost six months of work, and was part of an art display at Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock before a single buyer purchased the massive bird. 

Liz explained the galley’s best advertising comes through word-of-mouth. “Someone sees a piece and says ‘Where did you get that?’” she explained. “They're at someone’s house and they see that conversation piece and ask where did you get that? And then that steers them to us.”

Liz calls the gallery and restaurant a “wanna come to” place. “People can get a cone of banana pudding ice cream and walk around and look, because you can’t see everything in one trip,” she said.

But there’s a lot more than ice cream at The Picnic Basket, Liz’s piece of the couple’s passion project. She learned to cook at her grandmother’s side in a small restaurant in Marion, perfecting recipes for soups and stews as well as tasty sandwiches and wraps. 

The Picnic Basket offers seasonal menus that feature lighter salads and sandwiches in warmer months and more hearty fare during the fall and winter. “My passion has always been food,” she said. “I love to feed people.”

The creative couple will continue to delight visitors who drop in to their showroom and leave with a piece of one-of-a-kind art, and a stomach full of home cooking.

Sandra Wilkerson Queen is the education and business reporter for The Paper. She may be reached at 828-445-8595, Ext. 2002, or via email at sandra@thepaper.media.