The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College has launched "Where I Learned to Look: Art from the Yard," an exhibition featuring works by more than 30 artists. Curated by artist and art historian Josh T. Franco, the show explores how residential yards serve as creative spaces between the private home and the public world. The display includes a diverse range of objects, from a functional windmill and an oversized cornhole set to a decorated Volkswagen Beetle and sculptures inspired by real estate signs.
This exhibition is significant for its academic and institutional validation of "yard art," a form of vernacular creativity often overlooked by traditional galleries. By transitioning these works from neighborhood lawns to a museum context, the show challenges boundaries between folk art, studio practice, and public installation. It highlights how personal agency and local environments shape contemporary American art, bridging the gap between grassroots community expression and formal art history.