How to properly celebrate Yard Art Day
I’ve always been terrible at creating visual works of art. From crafting decorations for my little sorority “sister,” to painting a blue accent wall in my apartment, to making a congratulatory card for a friend’s engagement party — all miserable failures.
But I’m back at it — Yard Art Day is just around the corner. My master plan is to properly celebrate this annual Labor Day event for the first time and paint a “poetry pot” for my stoop (and my struggling herbs). Yard Art Day is a 24-hour display of art across the city that was initiated by local photographer Deborah Triplett in 2012.
The first rule of YAD: Create a work of art for your front yard (or porch, or balcony) and display it within sight of the street for 24 hours, from midnight to midnight on Labor Day.
“My hope is to get people to explore and view art in neighborhoods and parts of Charlotte they might not otherwise visit,” Triplett said. “In this day and age we all tend to stay within the comfort zone of our neighborhoods – and I’d like to see that change. At least for one day.”
To facilitate that exploration, participating “yardists” can submit an application (here) by Sept. 2 to have their address listed on the YAD Map, an online interactive directory and printable PDF Street Guide for the Sept. 5 YAD extravaganza.
You also don’t have to go it alone — schools, businesses, churches, gardens and other organizations can participate (and be put on the map) as well. Businesses have this requirement: the business owner/CEO must either create yard art with staff members or hire a local artist to create the display. Similarly, participating schools must have students, teachers or staff create the art. (If you have questions about the rules, you can ask.)
Bonus: Registered participants get to pick up a YAD sign to place in their yards.
This year, Triplett said, the Arts & Science Council “provided funds for all expenses related to Yard Art Day including a batch of new signs. Frankly I was on the verge of giving up YAD without getting some kind of financial support and the ASC came to the rescue.”
As for neighborhood support, she said, “In the past the obvious two ‘artsy hoods’ have been the most involved: Plaza Midwood and NoDa. I can always expect those two to show great support.”
She added that she’d love to see neighborhoods on the west side, in Mint Hill, in Matthews and in Ballantyne jump into the mix of creative displays.
Past years have seen sculptures, photography and even performance art in participating neighborhoods.
Ilisa Millermoon’s “Caterpillar from Alice In Wonderland”
“The good thing about art being in people’s front yards is that if yardists are in their front yards,” Triplett said, “it encourages those walking by or even driving by to stop and say ‘Hello’ and ‘I love your yard art.’ It promotes communication.”
Triplett is hosting YAD this year in partnership with Tom Petaccia, whose forte is web, graphics and social media work. And she has pretty big plans for her own yard art.
“I’m doing an homage to my favorite performance artist, Marina Abromovic,” Triplett said. “She did a piece at MOMA called ‘The Artist Is Present.'”
Her yard will have two chairs facing each other, with Triplett in one chair and a passerby instructed to sit silently in the other.
“When the moment is right,” she said, “I will click the shutter on the camera. I love the idea of this because of the unexpected. I’m so used to chit-chatting with my own photographic subjects that for neither of us to speak should lead to some interesting portraits. We shall see.”
Yard Art Day: Sept. 5, 2016
Photos: Katie Toussaint, Deborah Triplett
This story was originally published August 19, 2016 at 1:00 AM with the headline "How to properly celebrate Yard Art Day."