What some people leave behind on roadsides or throw away as unwanted furniture can end up becoming something far more valuable in the hands of the right person. For Ike Wynter, a Wisconsin-based wood artist, discarded wooden objects became the raw material for an unusual artistic journey that eventually took his work to one of America’s biggest sporting events. After beginning to collect unwanted wood in 2016, Wynter went on to create all 32 National Football League (NFL) team logos using reclaimed furniture, spending hundreds of hours bringing the project to life.According to a report by PEOPLE, Wynter’s creations eventually attracted the attention of the NFL, which displayed the collection at the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The project reportedly took around 700 hours to complete, turning pieces of unwanted furniture into recognisable symbols of America’s professional football teams.
From roadside finds to a full-time artistic pursuit
Wynter’s journey into woodworking started with curiosity and a willingness to see potential in things other people no longer wanted. In 2016, he began picking up discarded pieces of wood from roadsides, curbsides, alleys and dumpsters. Initially, he experimented with turning the material into coffee tables and other household objects before gradually exploring more elaborate forms of art.The Milwaukee native is a self-taught artist who developed his woodworking skills through experience, including working with his father on cutting wood and framing houses. Instead of buying fresh timber for his creations, he began building a collection of reclaimed materials, giving unwanted furniture a second life.His approach also meant that no two pieces of wood were necessarily alike. Old furniture, entertainment centres, wooden pallets and even parts of pianos could become useful material for his work. Rather than covering imperfections with paint, Wynter uses the natural shades, grains and textures of the wood to create different colours and visual details.Over time, his unusual creations began attracting attention online. His videos documenting the process gained millions of views, helping him move from making art as a personal pursuit to receiving commissions and collaborations. Among his notable projects were a wooden podcast logo for former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson and creative collaborations with brands and sporting organisations, including Crayola, the Milwaukee Brewers and Notre Dame.His oversized wooden Crayola crayon box, which went viral in 2024, was another project that brought his work to a wider audience. However, the NFL commission became one of the most demanding assignments of his career.
How discarded furniture became 32 NFL logos
According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, the NFL approached Wynter towards the end of December 2024 with an unusual proposal. The league wanted him to create wooden mosaics of all 32 NFL team logos for an installation at the 2025 NFL Draft, scheduled to take place at Lambeau Field in Green Bay from April 24 to 26.Each logo measured approximately three feet by three feet. The challenge was not simply reproducing familiar sporting symbols. Wynter had to recreate their colours and intricate details using only the different shades of salvaged wood available to him.He collected more than 50 discarded furniture pieces from across Wisconsin and spent weeks sorting, cutting and matching the materials to the logos. According to his interview with CBS 58, the collection process involved communicating with the NFL’s creative team to determine which natural wood tones could work for the different teams. The finished pieces contained no paint or stain. Their colours came entirely from the original wood.The process was far more complicated than working on one logo at a time. A single piece of furniture could provide material for several teams. For instance, wood from one entertainment centre could be used for parts of the Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots logos. Sometimes, however, the artist had to wait weeks before finding the exact shade required to complete a particular section.One particularly interesting discovery came from an old vanity offered by a man on Facebook. The furniture had been gifted to his grandmother in 1934 and was part of a family set. When Wynter removed its mirror, he discovered a weathered wooden sunburst pattern behind it. He immediately recognised its potential and used the material for the rays in the Miami Dolphins logo.The finished collection was installed along the Player Walkway, the passage through which drafted players walked towards the stage after hearing their names announced. The artwork was part of the NFL’s broader 2025 Draft theme, ‘Built by Community’.NFL Brand Experience Team art director Justin Wright told CBS 58 that Wynter’s work stood out because of its distinctive aesthetic and his practice of sourcing materials from the local community. The league saw an opportunity to connect the artist’s approach with the event’s emphasis on community.
A personal connection behind the Buffalo Bills logo
While all 32 logos represented an important milestone, one had a particularly personal meaning for Wynter. The Buffalo Bills logo reminded him of his grandfather, Raymond Kuffel, who had been drafted by the team in 1944. Kuffel was later redrafted in 1947 and played professional football between 1947 and 1949. He also attended Marquette University and Notre Dame, where he captained the football team. However, Wynter never got the opportunity to meet him. His grandfather died when his mother was just 16.Speaking to CBS 58, Wynter said creating the Bills logo was the most meaningful part of the project because it gave him an opportunity to feel connected to a family member he had never known.The artist also reserved a special place for his hometown team, the Green Bay Packers. He deliberately saved the team’s iconic ‘G’ for the final part of the collection, making it the last element he completed after spending hundreds of hours on the project.CBS 58 reported that the entire assignment, including sourcing furniture, cutting, assembling, gluing and finishing the pieces, took approximately 600 to 700 hours. Wynter also described working through the night, including three consecutive nights when he remained in his studio until sunrise.The NFL purchased the collection, initially planning to send the pieces to the league’s headquarters after the draft, but it was eventually displayed at one of American football’s biggest annual events.