Yards that incorporate artwork in Austin are trending. Some homes are decked out with colorful bottles, mannequins and even realistic sculptures.
In 2010, Scott Stevens and Robert Mace founded the Austin Art Yard Tour, which was created to showcase yard art enthusiasts, commonly referred to as yardists, in the community. Participants could look at the tour website, which was created primarily by Mace, and discover over 30 properties around Austin that had viewable yard art.
But what separates an art display from a collection of mere junk?
Jacqueline Martinez, who is the associate gallery director at Russell Collection Art Gallery, has worked with fine art for over 20 years. Martinez believes that artistic skill is the key element which defines these often blurred extremes.
“Whether it’s yard art or a fine art painting, indoor sculpture, or mixed media on canvas. It’s really based on the credentials the artist has,” Martinez said.
Martinez draws a distinct line between trash and fine art but believes it is possible to use disposable materials as a medium.
“Yes absolutely, it’s been done time and time again,” Martinez said. “But typically fine art is done in bronze, stone or wood. Something that holds its integrity.”
Martinez also brings attention to the amount of upkeep that is required when looking at fine art.
“I think there’s a certain level of maintenance that goes with anything but certainly if a piece goes flying in the wind, or if it’s continually evolving I have a hard time placing it as fine art,” Martinez said. “Maybe it’s more of a self-expression, or making a statement.”
So, it might be a stretch to refer to yard art as fine art, but according to Martinez it definitely holds some artistic value.
Mace has quite a different take on yard art and believes that, in some cases, it should be considered as legitimate art even though it’s not in a fixed gallery environment.
“It is not just simply having piles of junk that make it yard art. It’s got to be arranged in such a way that it’s turned into art,” Mace said. “You could get there in several different ways. There is not a single way to get there.”
Since people may have varying views on what constitutes art, issues could arise with neighbors and even the city. Vince Hanneman, who Mace knows personally, owns the Cathedral of Junk and struggled with this issue during the first yard art tour. Due to aesthetical appeal and the amount of people visiting the Cathedral of Junk, a high-end developer nearby filed a complaint with the city.
“The city was shutting him down essentially, but ultimately the city kind of backed down so the Cathedral could be in the yard art tour,” Mace said. “Now, Vince has just kind of had an understanding with the city that he limits how many people stop by and visit.”
Although the city does have some say in regulating yard art, homeowner’s associations have a much smaller influence. Karen McGraw, who works with neighborhood planning in Hyde Park, doesn’t know of any official regulations against yard art.
“A neighborhood developed with a true homeowners association may have private deed restrictions governing such things. These have to be enforced privately by neighbors,” McGraw wrote in an email. “The city of Austin takes no responsibility for private deed restrictions.”
Ryan Malone, who has been a resident of Windsor Park for five years, doesn’t believe in regulating the appearance of properties and feels that homes with yard art add to the overall character of the neighborhood.
“I think that’s what makes this neighborhood fun is that it’s not cookie cutter; it’s not Round Rock,” Malone said. “Everybody puts their own spin on things so I really like it and appreciate it.”
Even though yard art is very much alive, the Austin Art Yard Tour stopped after 2013.
Mace, who now works for the state in government administration, explains that the discontinuation of the art yard tour was due to a lack of time.
“I wound up getting a promotion in my job that makes my work life eat up more of my free time,” Mace said. “Then, on Scott’s side, he has been dealing with aging parent issues.”
The public is still welcome to visit these locations but no other official art tours have been announced. Mace hopes this will change in the future.
Written by Tessa Meriwether
In 2010, Scott Stevens and Robert Mace founded the Austin Art Yard Tour, which was created to showcase yard art enthusiasts, commonly referred to as yardists, in the community. Participants could look at the tour website, which was created primarily by Mace, and discover over 30 properties around Austin that had viewable yard art.
But what separates an art display from a collection of mere junk?
Jacqueline Martinez, who is the associate gallery director at Russell Collection Art Gallery, has worked with fine art for over 20 years. Martinez believes that artistic skill is the key element which defines these often blurred extremes.
“Whether it’s yard art or a fine art painting, indoor sculpture, or mixed media on canvas. It’s really based on the credentials the artist has,” Martinez said.
Martinez draws a distinct line between trash and fine art but believes it is possible to use disposable materials as a medium.
“Yes absolutely, it’s been done time and time again,” Martinez said. “But typically fine art is done in bronze, stone or wood. Something that holds its integrity.”
Martinez also brings attention to the amount of upkeep that is required when looking at fine art.
“I think there’s a certain level of maintenance that goes with anything but certainly if a piece goes flying in the wind, or if it’s continually evolving I have a hard time placing it as fine art,” Martinez said. “Maybe it’s more of a self-expression, or making a statement.”
So, it might be a stretch to refer to yard art as fine art, but according to Martinez it definitely holds some artistic value.
Mace has quite a different take on yard art and believes that, in some cases, it should be considered as legitimate art even though it’s not in a fixed gallery environment.
“It is not just simply having piles of junk that make it yard art. It’s got to be arranged in such a way that it’s turned into art,” Mace said. “You could get there in several different ways. There is not a single way to get there.”
Since people may have varying views on what constitutes art, issues could arise with neighbors and even the city. Vince Hanneman, who Mace knows personally, owns the Cathedral of Junk and struggled with this issue during the first yard art tour. Due to aesthetical appeal and the amount of people visiting the Cathedral of Junk, a high-end developer nearby filed a complaint with the city.
“The city was shutting him down essentially, but ultimately the city kind of backed down so the Cathedral could be in the yard art tour,” Mace said. “Now, Vince has just kind of had an understanding with the city that he limits how many people stop by and visit.”
Although the city does have some say in regulating yard art, homeowner’s associations have a much smaller influence. Karen McGraw, who works with neighborhood planning in Hyde Park, doesn’t know of any official regulations against yard art.
“A neighborhood developed with a true homeowners association may have private deed restrictions governing such things. These have to be enforced privately by neighbors,” McGraw wrote in an email. “The city of Austin takes no responsibility for private deed restrictions.”
Ryan Malone, who has been a resident of Windsor Park for five years, doesn’t believe in regulating the appearance of properties and feels that homes with yard art add to the overall character of the neighborhood.
“I think that’s what makes this neighborhood fun is that it’s not cookie cutter; it’s not Round Rock,” Malone said. “Everybody puts their own spin on things so I really like it and appreciate it.”
Even though yard art is very much alive, the Austin Art Yard Tour stopped after 2013.
Mace, who now works for the state in government administration, explains that the discontinuation of the art yard tour was due to a lack of time.
“I wound up getting a promotion in my job that makes my work life eat up more of my free time,” Mace said. “Then, on Scott’s side, he has been dealing with aging parent issues.”
The public is still welcome to visit these locations but no other official art tours have been announced. Mace hopes this will change in the future.
Written by Tessa Meriwether