‘Lawn Gnomes 2020’ takes yard art to new level

 

By Robert Green 

Staff writer

8-20-2020

 

EPHRAIM—Granary Arts is taking yard art to a whole new level.

The contemporary arts center is taking part in a summer arts program called Lawn Gnomes 2020, said Amy Jorgensen, executive director. Put together in response to COVID-19, the program encourages local artists to create and display their artwork at home.

There are 13 artists from Sanpete County who are displaying their art, or Lawn Gnomes, out in their yards, she said. And Granary Arts has developed a map or auto tour so people can drive around and take a look at the unique and interesting structures.

“We wanted people to think about art in different ways and have a different kind of accessibility to it.” Jorgensen said. “We are inviting people to do it in their own space.”

Local families have gotten together to create their Lawn Gnomes out of all sorts of materials, including glass, metals, woods, yarns, fabrics, plastics, lights and other mixed media.

Most of the art is not made to last forever. However, Brad Taggart’s metal sculpture called Isolation is made from steel and could last for generations. As a young boy, Taggart loved gathering scraps of steel from his uncle’s fabrication shop and combining them into small objects. He is from Ephraim.

A sampling of other unique works include:

Kamilla Earlywine of Ephraim weaved a sculpture from yarn to create triangular shapes that symbolize stability and union.

Kathy Peterson of Spring City created My Redheaded Equine from chunks of lumber, firewood and bailing twine.

Clint Stevens of Ephraim displayed a piece called “atavism,” or the tendency to revert to something ancient or ancestral, to depict the desire to escape from technology.

“People have really enjoyed driving around and seeing the yard art,” Jorgensen said. “It has just been a fun way to get around and look at art over the summertime.

The project was the brainchild of the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art and Granary Arts became an active partner with them, Jorgensen said.

The main idea of Lawn Gnomes 2020 is to think outside of the gallery walls, expand the role of the artist, and to call upon everyone in the community to innovate and reimagine lawns as both private and public spaces, according to Granary Art’s website. “While we stay home, stay safe, and social distance, we can still continue to create and to think about new ways to engage our city and our neighbors.”

For more information and to see a map of the auto driving tour, visit https://www.granaryarts.org/umoca-lawn-gnomes-2020 .