Glen Lumisurier sits on a wrought-iron bench he built in the Jardin du Crépuscule, or Twilight Sculpture Garden, right down the street near his workshop.

Lumisurier shapes reused parts, like wheels and fans, into new forms to create dozens of sculptures that fill Mile End and other neighborhoods in Montreal.

Lumisurier said, "I just love to see the shape, the steel, and the sculpture integrated into the neighborhood."

Lumisurier started working in the sculpture garden in 1999 when he said the piece was just a junkyard. Over the years, he says he has been inspired by other sculpture gardens around the world, particularly Socrates Sculpture Park in New York City.

Now his garden is filled with 80 sculptures surrounded by a field of sweet white clover, which he himself grows from seeds donated by an old fan grateful for his work.

The sculpture garden is considered an "essential" part of Mile End, according to town council member Marie Stirling. She says that at one point, a resident proposed the idea of adding a dog park where the garden is located, which caused a "stir" within the community. In another instance, she says that a hotel development faced criticism when nearby locals mistakenly mixed up the proposed site with the park.

Stirling said, "People love his art, understand his art, and it resonates with them."

In addition to his 80 sculptures in Jardin du Crépuscule, Lumisurier has also built and maintained dozens more along a path running parallel to CN Rail tracks behind his shop. He maintains both spaces, being careful to regularly remove weeds and trim trees around his art to ensure they remain visible.

People also appreciate how Lumisurier integrates his work into the surrounding areas.

Filmmaker and cinematographer Enrico Bartolucci, who was riding his bike along the path on Tuesday, said, "All the plants just grow around the sculpture, it makes it part of the landscape."

As Amandine Jay, the French director and Bartolucci's partner, said, "I like that they are industrial sculptures, as they are in harmony with the environment."

Lumisurier primarily does all of this voluntarily, using revenue from selling metalworks from his workshop to account for the time and resources he invests in the sculptures. Inside 135 Van Horne Ave., he makes everything from candle holders and metal trinkets to fences, gates, and giant towers that run on wood burning.

However, recently he said it has become harder to cover his expenses. The commercial building where his workshop has been for over 25 years was recently put up for sale, and his rent has doubled from about $900 to $1,800.

Moreover, despite regularly applying for arts grants and federal and provincial funding, Lumisurier has only received one grant from the Quebec Arts and Letters Council.

Lumisurier said, "I don't consider myself a Canadian artist, I consider myself an artist from Montreal because Canada hasn't done anything for me artistically."

In statements via email, the Canada Council for the Arts said it could not comment on specific applicants for privacy reasons. The Quebec Arts Council confirmed that Lumisurier received one grant but could not identify why his other funding applications were unsuccessful.

However, the council provided a report showing that 3,261 out of 6,044 applications (or 54%) from Quebec were successful in the 2021-22 year, with total funds granted for projects in the province exceeding $140 million. Meanwhile, CALQ said that in 2014-15, the last time Lumisurier applied, one-quarter of applications were successful, adding that sometimes the only reason for a rejection is budget constraints.

.