SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Along with the invigorating energy of Spring, Lawn Art With Neighbors (LAWN) is popping up near you from April 23 to May 8, 2022, with front lawn art created by your neighbors throughout Greene County.

Think of it as a museum without walls says Deidre Argyle, an art professor at Missouri State and founder of LAWN.

“LAWN is a city-wide public art exhibition made for front lawns by community members located in and around Springfield,” said Argyle.

LAWN was created as a grassroots project focused on connecting our vibrant community.

“The goal of LAWN  is to empower public art made by the people as a contribution to the sense of place and the built environment we all share,” said Argyle.

LAWN thrives as a public art opportunity open to all community members and art forms. LAWN exhibitions include sculptures, paintings, installations, video projections, podcasts, social practice projects, and more.

You can register as a participant in LAWN – before the April 16 deadline -- online at https://sculpturewalkspringfield.org/sculptures/lawn-art-with-neighbors/l-a-w-n-artists/ to get your address on the LAWN tour map.

After focusing on Springfield yards for the first two years, in 2022 LAWN is open to a whole new array of front yard projects in Springfield and other communities of Greene County like Republic, Ash Grove, Willard, Battlefield and Fair Grove.

WHAT OTHERS SAY

April Stublefield, a stay-at-home mom of two who enjoys adding creative projects to her family routine, participated in LAWN during 2021.

“My son was 18 months old and just beginning to explore outside when LAWN 2020 was advertised. In response to his enthusiasm and the strangeness of social isolation, I found myself wanting to celebrate our local natural landscape for bringing us so much joy,” said Stublefield.

Jordan Seyer is a Springfield-based painter whose work plays into abstract expressionism on a large scale.

“I enjoyed the experience and the energy that went into making my LAWN display. It drove me to make my work as fun as I possibly could to match any energy other artists were putting out,” said Seyer.

David Burton, county engagement specialist with University of Missouri Extension, says the local MU Extension Council sees LAWN fitting with their engaged neighbor program.

“MU Extension and the Greene County Extension Council got involved because we saw the value of art for the community, by the community, as a way to strengthen social bonds with neighbors through art,” said Burton.

But he has also gotten involved in a personal way, by creating a lawn sculpture over the last several months with help from his neighbors. Over 30 neighbors have created their own painted square to hang on a cedar picket fence along with some of Burton’s creation. After LAWN is over, this display is being moved to the entrance of the neighborhood.

“I think the final product is going to be beautiful but it has also been about making social connections with our neighbors, and their children, over art,” said Burton.

IDEAS AND STOPS

Take a stroll, bike ride, or cruise and enjoy artwork brought to you by your neighbors April 23 - May 8.  The LAWN site map and viewing suggestions to locate the artworks nearest you are online at https://sculpturewalkspringfield.org/sculptures/lawn-art-with-neighbors.

If you are looking for some ideas that will spark your creativity, there is a document online with ideas. It is available on the MU Extension website or digitally at https://issuu.com/greenecoext.

LAWN HISTORY

LAWN was founded and organized by Deidre Argyle, Jodi McCoy, and Shauna Smith in 2020. Current sponsors are Sculpture Walk Springfield, Springfield Art Museum, Missouri State University: Art + Design Department and University of Missouri Extension.

In 2020, LAWN was launched and included 65 lawn art projects created by over 100 community members. During 2021, LAWN had nearly 75 participating lawn art projects in Springfield. 

LAWN was established in April 2020 as a response to Covid-19. The goal then was to create an effort to encourage artmaking and viewing as a form of bolstering mental health and community building during stay-at-home orders.

Learn more at https://sculpturewalkspringfield.org/sculptures/lawn-art-with-neighbors/ or   @LAWNSGF in Facebook and @l.a.w.n.sgf on Instagram. For questions about this event send emails to LAWNSGF@gmail.com

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PHOTOS: Examples from David Burton’s project and LAWN art from 2021 can be found at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10HXjh36Id9YPiKeQFT9wmIUJPIo2GFHV?usp=sharing