Yard Art Day’s founder, soul, and muse, Deborah Triplett passed away peacefully January 31, 2023. She was an extraordinary woman who led an extraordinary life. She always looked for the good and had the amazing talent to find joy and beauty in everything she looked at.

We will continue to celebrate her vision and passion.

Today is kinda weird for us. After all, today is Labor Day – better known in these parts as Yard Art Day.

Normally, we would be setting up our Yard Art displays, and with excitement, getting into our cars to travel throughout the area to see all the great examples of creativity all our fellow YADists show off every year.

But this year is different. This year, we decided to put Yard Art Day on hiatus while we took a much-needed rest and better solidify our future plans.

It wasn’t an easy decision – and we especially feel it today. But it was necessary.

We started Yard Art Day in 2012, the day before the 2012 Democratic Convention here in Charlotte. People said we were nuts to have it at the same time. “Nobody will do it. No one will go out and see it. Everyone will be focused on the Convention,” we were told.

That’s when we saw our first Yard Art Day miracle.

People did put up Yard Art displays. A lot of them. A lot of you! People did come out to see all the displays and performances. In droves!

Over the following years, we saw a lot of great art and a lot of great stories. Individuals who rediscovered their passion for creativity, like the woman who signed up for watercolor classes the day after reading about Yard Art Day in the newspaper – and then worked on a YAD project with her children – or the children who asked their parents to cancel their beach trip so they could participate in Yard Art Day. Individuals who made personal statements with their art .. political statements with their art .. or were just freakin’ funny with their art.

We knew Yard Art Day meant a lot to a lot of people – and that continues to be a source of great joy to us. However, we really didn’t realize how important it was to many until this year when we put it on hiatus.

Seems a number of you will be displaying yard art anyway. Kristina Thoennes has some awesome Pokeman art on display. Jim Martin has informed us he and a few of his friends will be displaying this year. If any of you are also keeping the Yard Art Day spirit alive, please post on our Yard Art Day Facebook Group!

We cannot tell you how much that means to us.

So .. the big question. Will we be doing Yard Art Day in 2019? You bet your sweet creative posteriors we are!

Keep those thinking caps on. Start your planning. Yard Art Day is only 363 days away!

Keep an eye on the YAD Facebook Page for updates, and we’ll see you on September 2, 2019!

Deborah Triplett
Tom Petaccia

Greetings, Yardists!

Believe it or not Yard Art Day 2017 is a little over 150 days away! That’s not nearly as much time as it looks. Time to get those creative caps back on .. and once again, explore ways to announce your imagination to your neighborhood – as well as our now international YAD family.

I cannot tell you how much it thrills my soul to see how this concept has been embraced by all of you these past years – just as much as I have been amazed and totally wowed by your art, performances, and community pride. YAD has been a success because of all of you.

If you are new to Yard Art Day, welcome to our family. First rule: HAVE FUN! Second rule: Don’t be shy. You don’t have to be a fine artist or accomplished performer to participate. Just be willing to share your imagination – in whatever form you care to share it. Third rule: HAVE FUN!

In these nervous times, art can play a bigger role than ever in building community: a way to share the pure joy of creating; a way to engage with your neighbors and make new friends; and a way define what we want to be as a truly united people.

So … sidewalk chalk art, a society of yard gnomes, poetry readings, welded art, an arrangement of old shoes, a tribute to discarded soda bottles, dance recitals, wooden fence murals – whatever is in you to express, that’s what Yard Art Day is all about!

Now, let’s talk a little logistics

This year, we would love to add Neighborhood Captains to our YAD Team. These would be people who would help promote Yard Art Day on a hyper-local basis as well as offer a location (home or business) for YADists to pick up Yard Art Day signs closer to their homes. If you are interested, please shoot us an eMail. Be sure to indicate your location as well as how best to contact you.

The signup to be included on the YAD map and tour directory will officially begin after the Memorial Day holiday weekend. So be on the lookout for that.

One way you can help support Yard Art Day – and help offset some of our costs – is by loading up on YAD Swag! T-Shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs & glasses, baby onesies, even dog sweaters and more! Check out our CafePress store!

That’s it for now! As always, be sure to like our Facebook Page to stay up on the latest YAD news. You can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Yours in Creativity, Community, and Love ..

– Deborah Triplett

A big “shout out” to Juli Ghazi for entering her Central Avenue Pure Pizza as the first business registrant for this year’s Yard Art Day! Juli has always been a dedicated community-involved person and supporter of Yard Art Day since the beginning.

If you own or manage a business with a street-viewable location, Yes, your business can participate too!

Yard Art Day – Business Requirements

• Like any other “yards”, the art must be able to be viewed by the street or sidewalk.
• You must either create the yard art with either your staff OR hire a LOCAL artist to create the art.
• The art can be any form of creative expression.
• Have fun!

So … Fill out the online application and get your business on the map!

Thanks to a generous sponsorship from the ASC, we have YAD signs this year earlier than ever.

If you have signed up to participate this year – come grab a sign (be sure to get a hanger/stand too) off my side front porch (not too early or too late please – 10am to 8pm is good) at 1908 Matheson Ave 28205. Any day of the week is aok with me. Let’s get them in your yards now to spread the word about Yard Art Day.

Let people know you are going to have some art in your yard. This really helps keep this project alive and kickin’.

If you’ve not signed up yet – click here to register today!

The map is growing in numbers. Check it out! Fun to see those little pins start popping up like flowers in spring. Let’s see it grow to over 250 this year in and around Charlotte. I’d be over the moon if we reached 500. My dream is to see some yard art in all neighborhoods of Charlotte and surrounding towns and communities.

And of course would love to see some posted in other areas of the country.

Thank you all for five years of showing your support for YAD.

Got any questions or comments – just contact me.

Celebrate your inner creative kid and join in the Yard Art Day fun!

Deborah