Welcome to Bill's RetroRobots! Where everyday vintage objects become whimsical robot art, faithful tin pets, and humorous little beings.

My name is Bill McKenney and this is my story:

Growing up in a New England commercial fishing family, I became handy at all sorts of things:carpentry, electrical work, and fixing engines. We used to joke we could fix anything with just a stick and a string! When my dad asked me if I wanted a bike, he took me down to the junkyard and scavenged the parts to build one with me.

I guess this all got me started on a lifelong habit of making due with what was at hand. When we later moved to Maine, my wife and I built a homestead out of vintage pieces, reclaimed hardware and wood from salvaged barns.

In 2011, we moved to St. Louis to take care of a family member. While there, I started going to flea markets and yard sales. I was amazed at what people discarded. I began to wonder what could be done with all the great old stuff I was seeing. I started to experiment and explore and the next thing you know, I was making art! I had never thought of myself as an artist but my ability to creatively repurpose things and my quirky sense of humor made it almost inevitable. It all came together in my art.